As we ring in the new year, you may have noticed the seasonal section of your local store, which just weeks ago overflowed with everything Christmas is now likely exhibiting workout gear. Or, if you go to the gym, maybe you noticed that it’s a lot busier than it was mid-December (or October for that matter).
‘Tis the season for making resolutions and changing your life, according to the cultural cues. However, I’ve noticed as many other have, that often these bold proclamations of change often don’t stick. What is it that gets in our way of lasting change and how can we do it differently?
Albert Einstein famously said: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
But I’m not you might say, I’ve decided to eat healthy (fill in your new habit here). However, this may not be a reflection of a new thinking, but rather a strategy to counteract an old thinking.
If, for instance, we decide we need to eat healthy because we’re fat and lazy, the thinking is about fat and lazy. This thinking is coming from our deficiency, from our lack, or less-than-ness.
What if we decided to shift our food to more healthy choices because we know that these more healthy choices are in alignment with our highest good? What if our choice comes from thinking about our divinity, that we deserve the best because we are worthy.
When we come from our not-enoughness, we will eventually feel constricted by the choice and grow resistance if not resentment. What comes after that?
Well we start having ‘cheat days’ or finding logical reasons to not follow through. And then, we may use that as an excuse to just give up the whole thing because ‘it was never going to work anyway’ or some put-down about ourselves.
But what if we come from our purpose, joy, and divinity? First, we see the new way as a path, not a constrictment. And we see a meal outside our usual healthy choices as a special occasion, and part of the balance of the journey of our life. We don’t give up because we know that we are continually, consciously growing into our best selves and that every step has something for us to learn.
Guilt and shame don’t have a place here because the facts and truth are just that. We can learn, and if we need to make amends, or restore the balance with ourselves or another, we do it. When we come from our enough thinking, we gently redirect any unkind words we may have to ourselves.
This change is a process, we may be aiming towards things in the outer, but the inner work is the real change-maker. This is what spiritual community is for, to be a shoulder and cheerleader to walk alongside as we traverse our biggest journey.
Grateful to walk alongside you,
Rev. Rachel