Change -- good or bad?

It feels great to be back to blogging.....I thought since Labor Day is sort of the unofficial end to summer, I would end my blogging sabbatical and get back to a new season of writing. Hope you all had a wonderful summer... mine centered around one word -- "change."

There's a song by Sheryl Crow that says, "I said, a change...will do you good." But many of us run away from change or when we go through it, we do so with stubborn attitudes and pouting lips. Like it or not - change comes.

Some of my changes over these past six months have been of my own choosing. That kind of change seems to empower us...when we make a choice to change our diets, change our jobs, change the paint in our kitchen...those are changes inflicted on us at our own choosing, under our own rules.

The change we seem to shirk is the stuff that comes from life...change out of our control. One thing I have learned over the summer is that even change thrown at us from left field can be positive. The control comes when we decide to look at what's been handed to us and make a choice. I once heard a business coach tell a crowd that it isn't the cards life deals us...it's how we choose to play the hand we are dealt.

Change is unavoidable. We see that theory in each passing season. However, we can make or break the change by how we choose to respond in the face of it.

In my own personal changes I tackled each one  - my choice or not - in this way:

1) I spent a lot of time soul searching. Typically change brings a tidal wave of emotions. Harboring those feelings can overwhelm the heart and mind and make it difficult to gain perspective. When I sat down, slowed down and took a look at the choices and options I had in the face of my change, I was able to weigh what I felt was best and confidently move forward in that direction.

2) I purged emotions. All those emotions that come with change -- I had to get them out. I had to find a way to express them. Purge is a great word because it is phonetically picturesque. Even saying the word "purge" has a sense of release. If you've followed my blog or heard me speak on the topic of emotional management, you know I am a big advocate for journaling. When I need to purge emotion...I journal. I write it out and sometimes that means I cry it out while I am writing it out. When I look back at those journal pages there is clarity and perspective that comes from sorting out those feelings.

3) Prayer. I spent a lot of time in prayer. No matter what your denomination or religious affiliation, let me just share with you the power of prayer. The very God that you cry to is the very same God who created the emotions that generate your tears. He knows the heart. He knows your heart and His arms are open wide. I have been carried in those arms for most of the summer. My strength to face the change in life has come from falling into those arms and praying out/talking out my emotions.

4) Music soothes the savage beast. I don't know what serves as a release for you, but for me it is music. When I need to tap into the heart of me...it is time to turn on the tunes and sing, dance, cry -- whatever. But music is what helps me release that emotion and expel pent up feelings. For you it may be going for a walk, taking a bath, getting together with a friend....whatever it is, identify what works and go for it. Take this as your official, engraved invitation --- you can do what you need to do to soothe your heart and soul.

If you can learn to tackle change with a positive perspective...you just might find that a change will do you good!