I’ve never seen any life transformation that didn’t begin with the person in question finally getting tired of their own bullshit.
~ Elizabeth Gilbert ~
Have you ever experienced that moment when you have had it with your own B.S.? And with how your life is going – or not going?
I have been there. It’s not fun when you hit that rock-bottom moment and you must finally acknowledge to yourself that you are sick and tired of pretending that you’ve got your life nailed. You know something has to change even though you aren’t sure exactly what, or exactly how you can change it.
You may wonder if you even have what it takes to change. You might think that if you did have what it takes, you’d have changed it by now.
You might think of yourself as a complete failure. You might have fallen so far down that rabbit hole, you aren’t sure you can ever get out, or even if you want to. Giving up might seem easier.
It Can Be Painful
Shedding the skin of the past can be painful. You are facing the unknown. The ground feels shaky under your feet.
The older you get, the more challenging it can be to change, especially if you’ve achieved pinnacles of success and you suddenly find yourself out of a job, out of a long-term relationship, facing a health crisis, or in financial difficulty. It can feel like all is lost.
When I was let go from my corporate job, I’m not going to lie to you, it hurt. A lot!
My knee-jerk reaction was to feel like I was being tossed out like yesterday’s garbage. It wasn’t fair. After all, I’d been a loyal employee for most of my life.
I could have remained “stuck” in that mindset and ended up feeling angry and bitter. But, I came to realize that my way of thinking about being let go was B.S.
Was it true that I was being tossed out like yesterday’s garbage? Maybe, but probably not.
It’s true that it felt that way to me. But, I doubt that anyone in the decision-making process gave it that much thought. To them, I’m sure it was nothing more than a business decision.
There’s Grace in Letting Go
Bitterness and anger are not sexy! They keep you stuck in the past and prevent you from creating a deliciously Sexy Second Act.
Here’s what I’ve come to realize from my own experience and the experiences of my clients. Those painful moments are sacred moments of grace. They signal that it’s time to shed the skin of your old life. It’s time to let go of the B.S. so you can design and build a sexy new life that fits who you are now.
Painful experiences are blessings in that they give you the opportunity to think about what you want to do differently going forward. It takes time and reflection so you must be willing to allow yourself that gift.
If you are experiencing a painful situation, the worst thing you can do is wallow in it or avoid it. Your pain comes from fear. As such, it’s worthy of your gentle and compassionate observation.
See if you can name the pain you feel. Unworthy. Unwanted. Incapable. Unlovable. Unappreciated. Naming it gives you the power to transform it from the B.S. it is into something worthy of your time, energy and attention.
From Sick and Tired to Re-Wired
After being let go from my corporate job, I took stock of what I knew. I love people. I love projects and activities where I get to learn about who people are and what they want. I love working on projects that make things better for people. I love feeling like my contribution matters.
I got excited when I realized that this new stage of my life was an opportunity to bring out those skills that had often been pooh-poohed in my old job as being too “touchy-feely.” The game to play now was to figure out how to get paid for doing what I love.
I had no time for anger and bitterness. My eyes were focused on a future full of new possibilities. My excitement and newfound energy forced me to give up the B.S. notion that I was too exhausted to start over. I went from being sick and tired to feeling re-wired and inspired!
If you are tired of being sick and tired, embrace it. Use it as a launching pad of discovery. Use it to take you to a new and fulfilling stage of life. Give yourself the opportunity to design and build a Sexy Second Act that leaves you feeling re-wired and inspired!
Are you ready to take the first step toward being re-wired and inspired? Join me Thursday, January 14th at 6:00 p.m. PST for my complimentary Introducing January Jumpstart: Nailing Goals that Matter teleclass. After you register, I’ll email you a powerful “success-ercise” you can use to help you design Big, Juicy Goals that matter to you.