Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
And you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'
-Bob Dylan
If there’s one thing that’s constant in life, it’s change. I’m sure this is not a surprise to you, but I know for me, each time change arrives, it's often pulling a wagon full of uncomfortable feelings. Worry, grief, doubt, and frustration to name a few.
My mom has often said, “Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want in your life.” It's one of those things that is much easier said than practiced. We are hardwired to be on alert for things that may harm or even kill us. It’s part of our caveman instinct. Our amygdala senses danger and triggers all the alarms in our brain to be ready for 'fight, flight, freeze, or fawn'. BTW, that last one is new to me. The idea of fawning is “if I can’t fight or flight and freezing doesn’t feel safe, I will turn on all my charm and hope to manipulate the heck out of this dangerous situation”. Hmmm, can I get a raise of hands if anyone has tried that approach?
Shall we bring a little woo into this discussion? What are your thoughts on astrology? Until recently, I would say, maybe once a year, I would read my horoscope and marvel if it felt in alignment with my current situation. Lately, astrology has been coming at me from all different directions. That is usually my cue to pay attention. I still can’t totally wrap my head around the difference between my sun sign and my rising sign and then there’s something about a Chiron, which I definitely don’t understand. All I know is that many shifts are happening in our planets which have been historically linked to some pretty big shifts here on Earth. Coincidence or not, I’ll let you decide.
Word on the astrological street is that May is going to be the breeding ground for some cosmic craziness. I like to use the analogy of remodeling a kitchen. First, you must demolish the old kitchen with sledgehammers before building the kitchen of your dreams. This phase is dusty, dirty, and usually pretty uncomfortable. It’s also something we tolerate and even embrace because we know it’s necessary for that dream kitchen of ours. There might even be a certain level of anticipation that comes along for the ride. Rarely do we demolish the old kitchen without first creating a vision for the new kitchen.
Often in life, we can’t stop the change, that part is usually inevitable. We can create a vision for our new “kitchen” though. This is a good time to get really clear on what we want to bring in and create. This could even be a fun, art project with friends or family. Grab some paper, paints, old magazines, and create a good old vision board. A reoccurring theme in the astrology blogs and podcasts that have been sent my way is slow down next week if you can, rest, let go, drinks lots of water, and create a strong vision for this next chapter. Much like the 'choose your own adventure' novels, are you going to turn to page 53 and bump into an old friend at the cafe who is looking for someone to take over the job of your dreams? Or perhaps your turn to page 37 where you are standing in the grocery store comparing cans of crushed tomatoes when you overhear two people discussing a Reiki class (which you have always wanted to take) that is starting up next month and it aligns perfectly with your schedule. Be open, listen to these whispers. If worry creeps in, thank it for trying to keep you safe and kindly send it to the back of the bus.
When things start to get dirty and dusty, reference back to your vision board which explicitly describes your dream job, relationship, life, and remember some things may need the sledgehammer to make space for all those upgrades.
Question: How often does worry get to drive your emotional bus? What are some habits you can practice that allow you to acknowledge the worry and also redirect your energy to the vision of the life you want to create?
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