5 SIGNS TO KNOW IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE

“The only constant in life is change.” This piece of wisdom from an ancient philosopher, Heraclitus, who lived thousands of years ago, is just as timely and relevant for us living in the 21st century.

Welcome to Mindful Monday, friends. It is the beginning of a new day, a new week, a new month, and possibly a new change for some of you.

SEASONAL CHANGES

While detecting the signs of seasonal changes are easy and obvious for us, knowing when we when need to change something in our personal lives can be a little more difficult.

Most of us are experiencing summer right now (amen?). And although it took a while to arrive in northeast Ohio, all my senses tell me it is finally here! I look out my office window and see the sun’s rays making dappled shadows through the trees, hear the birds singing sweet songs, smell the freshly cut grass, feel the gentle breeze blow softly through the window, and touch the soft petals of the fresh cut roses on my desk.

Nature seems to know when and how to change effortlessly, beautifully, timely.

READY FOR LIFE CHANGES?

But what about the changing seasons of your life? How do you know if you need to change? What are the signs? And, more importantly, how do you handle change?

It reminds me of the lines from the Fleetwood Mac song, “Landslide”:

Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?“

Newness, change, and transition can either stimulate and energize you or worry and discourage you.  You can choose to embrace change or run away from it, but either way change is inevitable. The song goes on…

Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you.”

• Are you facing changes as a parent? As children grow and transition, parents must adjust too.
• Are you facing changes in your relationships? Maybe a friend is moving away, someone new is coming into your life, or you are dealing with the loss of a loved one.
• Changes also can happen in jobs and careers. Are you sensing a season of growth, a relocation, or a move in a completely new direction?
• Our spiritual lives, marriages, families, and friendships also experience seasonal changes.

I’M CHANGING WITH YOU

From interacting and connecting with so many of you through this blog, social media, and in person, I know that many of you are in that place of wanting to know if things in your life need to change. You are unsettled and restless, searching, wondering, testing, and analyzing.

I am right there with you, friends! I am in the process of stepping into a new phase of my life as a blogger, speaker, and author by having my first book published in a year! (If you want the inside scoop, sign up to be an email subscriber!) While I eagerly anticipate this next chapter (pun intended!), I also realize that I need to make some changes. And at my age, change is HARD!

Some of these adjustments are minor, unfolding slowly and steadily.

There are others that come suddenly and require a quick and decisive response.

Some transitions are life-altering, testing your faith and courage.

While others change threaten to shake your very foundation.

So, how do you really know if change is needed?

5 SIGNS TO HELP YOU KNOW IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE

Just like your 5 senses tell you it is summer, you can also use them to gauge whether you are approaching a time of transition or change in your life

1) WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Are you looking at people, places, and things with new eyes? Is God showing you things that you may not have seen before? Pay attention!   Resist the urge to put on the rose-colored glasses and allow yourself to see the world as it really is and you will discover what may need to change.

2) WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?

Are you able to verbalize and name your emotions? Do you have a sense of restlessness and longing? Do things move you differently? Do not minimize or ignore how the spirit of God may be opening you up to feel and experience new things. If this is happening often, you may be ready for a change.

3) WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

What are the voices in your head saying? What do you hear others saying? Does it seem like you are hearing things for the very first time? Is God speaking to you through the Bible, a song, or the words of others? Quiet your soul and listen. You may miss crucial directions for change if you do not practice active listening.

4) WHAT “STINKS” IN YOUR LIFE?

Are you upset by things that never used to bother you before? Do some things in your life “stink” in a way that you can no longer ignore them? Is the smell of fear, doubt, and failure so overwhelming that you are ready to remove it from your life? Do not try to cover up the smell with an artificial air freshener. Take out the trash of your past that may be holding you back from making necessary changes.

5) HAVE YOU LOST YOUR TASTE FOR LIFE?

Are your routines and relationships becoming bland and unappetizing? Have you lost your appetite for taking risks, dreaming dreams, or exploring new horizons? Do you want some zest in your life? Don’t settle for the status quo and stagnate where you are. Be willing to taste and try new things.

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING, A TIME FOR CHANGE

I want to leave you with words of wisdom from another man, King Solomon, who also lived thousands of years ago. I hope you find comfort on this Mindful Monday that change is a part of life for everyone…and that we can detect the signs of change in our own lives if we open our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts to what God may be showing us.

FREE PRINTABLE!

I want to give all of my email subscribers a free printable of the 5 SIGNS TO KNOW IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE that will guide you through the process of identifying areas of that need to change in your life. If you are an email subscriber, it will be delivered directly to your inbox by the end of this week. If you are not an email subscriber, sign up today for your FREE PRINTABLE and you will get one too!