Whenever we plan to start or try something new, stuff happens — often a natural result of adding one more thing to an already busy life.
Like a seedling pushing the dirt out of the way before it can break through to the sunlight, whenever you embark on a new thing — be it a painting, an exercise routine, a new recipe, a new class — a new way of doing anything in a new way, some part of you rebels.
If you hear yourself think “I don’t want to!” or even “NO!”
you can be sure your inner 2- or 3-year-old has a different opinion.
Some part of you feels uncomfortable.
A new honu (turtle) painting begins. The honu on the left is going down to eat.
Depending upon the change you’re making to your daily routine,
you might feel excitement, trepidation, or anything in between.
Habits and routines are great. They act as on- or off-ramps,
helping to ease you into, through, and out of your days.
Habits help create your comfort zone
— and sometimes they lead to boredom & inactivity.
As a creative, consciously evolving being, you crave change.
You want to mix things up a bit, try something new, certain this
new thing will put some spice or pizzazz into your life.
Then, right before, or at the onset of your adventure, you realize the
ramifications of what adding something new to your routine really means.
OH! The disruption!
You might feel an internal earthquake, or a tsunami
of emotions flood your bloodstream.
When adding something new to your schedule, trade-offs
have to be made. Something has to go!
You’re uncomfortable. What you were thinking when you added “xyz” to your schedule?
The honu are more visible as the painting evolves. The center honu is turning around.
15 years after earning a degree in Art Education, I took classes
in graphic design at the local technical college.
I was SO excited to buy fresh supplies, set up a new drafting table,
figure out which classes would fit into my work schedule, and go to class.
Imagine my horror when toward the end of that first class,
I heard the instructor tell us what our homework would be!
Homework?
I’d completely forgotten about homework
and hadn’t factored it into my schedule!
I ended up dropping one of the two classes out of necessity
and learned a valuable lesson — something’s got to give!
Fortunately, the class I kept led me to my next, better job/career,
which is where I stayed until moving to Honolulu to paint in June 2000.
You are resilient.
Simply remember that “freak-out moments” are transitional phases. They pass.
Lean into your transitions to really FEEL them (emotions only last 60–90 seconds).
Then BREATHE, before reassessing your situation.
Your breath is your doorway to your
calm Inner Wise Self & to your Future!
Breathe — that’s what these honu do … they dive down to eat & rise up to BREATHE
Comfort zones are meant to be stretched,
not snapped into submission.
When you stretch them incrementally each day, you’re more likely to weather
the bigger stretches that circumstances beyond our control require.
Please do something new today — just for a stretch of it.
