The Blessings of Letting Go to Change

The long nights that lead to the longest night of the year stir deep thoughts. When major life changes enter the mix, potent inquiry arises. Emotional questions wiggle their way from the depths, stare us in the face and demand answers. Who are you? Who were you? Who do you intend to be?

Who ARE you?

I made the decision a year ago to move beyond my career as a travel writer to focus entirely on my business as a writing coach. It was time to let go. I had accomplished what was most important to me and was eager to grow in a new area.

Embracing that decision--and letting go of every aspect of travel writing that I had let define me--took many months. I had made a rational decision that my ego just wasn't ready to accept. After all, I had worn the travel writer moniker for more than 20 years.  Friends and neighbors started conversations with "where are you traveling next?" Most of my professional colleagues and many of my friends hung out in the travel writing world.

Who was I if I no longer was one of them?

My ego kept urging me to let it keep at least a little piece of my travel writing identity. But I knew that as long as I did that, I would not be focusing on what my heart has been calling me to do--helping others tell their powerful stories.

The symbolic finale to my travel writing career was my resignation from the esteemed professional organization, SATW, effective January 1, 2013.

This act frees me to focus on what I intend to be, how that looks, and how it feels. I'm enjoying the freshness of creating this exciting role in life without being tethered to previous personas.

Even so, I find solace in Shatki Gawain's perspective on what happens when something that defines our sense of self ends.

When we're very identified with something and it is taken away, then we have an opportunity to open up to whatever other parts of ourselves want to come forth. We all have parts of ourselves yet to be expressed, and it's very important to the world, and to other people, that we bring out these parts or aspects. Doing so has a healing, balancing impact in the world.
~ Science of Mind magazine, December 2012, p. 86

 And so with open heart I look toward revealing and sharing those parts of myself yet to be expressed!

Appreciate Stillness in the Season of Light

To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. ~Lao-tzu

The glorious Season of Light is a beautiful time to relax and be still, even if only a few minutes here and there, breathe deeply and simply be. 

Year-end festivities, traditions, travel and gatherings bring joy. They can also lead to overwhelm and exhaustion—but only if you give your power to them.

If you start feeling caught up in a whirlwind, try these ways to use stillness to help restore and revive yourself:

1. Before starting an activity, whether attending a concert or catching an airplane, take a few moments to be still, breathe deeply and set your intention. For example, envision your on-time arrival at the airport, smooth connections and a comfortable flight.
 
2. In the flurry of shopping, find a place to sit down. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths and let the energy of shoppers swirl around you. Single out smells and sounds that delight you. Let yourself bask in them.
 
3. When you are preparing a festive meal, writing holiday greetings or wrapping gifts, give yourself a few short breaks.  Close your eyes, take some deep breaths and anticipate the joy that your meal, greetings and gifts will give those who receive them.

Keep savoring moments to be still. Let the peace and beauty of the Season of Light infuse you.  And appreciate the magic that happens when, as Lao-tzu said, “the whole universe surrenders.”