Dealing with change – Here is a way to take control

You ever find yourself spiralling in a tailspin you didn’t see coming? Yeah, so did I. Blindsided by a break-up, I plunged into a chasm of emotions that hit me like a freight train. It’s the brutal yet eye-opening wake-up calls that make you realise, dealing with change is no picnic. It’s like life takes you by the scruff of your neck and shakes you until you wake the hell up.

I turned to drinking, not in a wild, reckless sense, but in a desperate bid to snag a few hours of sleep. Southern Comfort became my nightly lullaby. You ever find that false peace in a glass of something strong? Let’s keep it real: it’s a slippery slope. For two weeks, I operated on liquid courage to keep my thoughts at bay. Two glasses soon turned into two bigger glasses. So, what the hell was I doing? That’s the question that smacked me in the face.

The Turning Point

One fateful night, my mind flicked a switch. I was teetering down a road paved with dread and despair, but in that moment, the scales tipped. It wasn’t some drawn-out process. Change slapped me hard, telling me I had suffered enough. Recognise that? That guttural ache that tells you, “Enough is bloody enough.” That’s your ticket out.

Breaking the Cycle

I still wrestled with jealousy, shame, and fear; a merry-go-round of dark emotions. But that night, I swapped the bottle for a book—James Allen’s “As A Man Thinketh.” Now, I’m not a big reader, dyslexic since the age of six, but guess what? That book was my lifeline. I crawled through it, but it was worth it. Reading became a catalyst for profound transformation in my life.

The Power of Now

That’s the thing about dealing with change. It’s not a marathon; it’s a single, defining sprint—a leap of faith. We get stuck thinking about all the changes we’ll make ‘someday,’ without realising that ‘someday’ is a mythical land where change never happens. In the words of Richard Rohr, “The most courageous thing we will ever do is bear humbly the mystery of our own reality.”

Your Road to Change

Is it time to stop pacing up and down the hallway of indecision? You can flinch all you want at life’s challenges, but remember what Jack Kornfield said, “In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived. How well we have loved. How well we have learned to let go.” Change is about deciding you’ve had enough and having the guts to do something about it.

So let’s get to it:

  1. Identify what’s draining your soul.
  2. Make a decisive choice to change it.
  3. Replace it with something empowering.
  4. Write it down; plaster it everywhere if you have to.
  5. Rejoice every damn time you stick to your resolve.

The monumental shifts in life don’t happen in the slow grind; they happen in that single moment of raw, unfiltered determination.

So, what’s that nagging thing you’re itching to change in your life? Isn’t it about time you took that bold step?

If this helped you, it will help somebody else!

You've just read an article by Steven Webb —  Guiding you through the most difficult times. Here is a link to my podcast Stillness in the Storms and Inner Peace Meditations.

I write to arm you with resilience and inner wisdom, helping you find calm in life’s chaos. Follow me Medium or on substack.

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Steven Webb

Steven Webb is a renowned meditation teacher with over a decade of experience. Known for his unique approach to quieting the busy mind, Steven navigated through a life of adversity to find his own inner peace. Now, he shares his wisdom to help others build resilience and find tranquility even in life's most turbulent times. Through his writing, courses, and podcast "Stillness in the Storms," Steven empowers people to discover their own sanctuary of inner peace when they need it the most.
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