The Power of Intentional Change

When faced with a seemingly insurmountable task we are told to consider tackling it the way one might eat an elephant,

 “one bite at a time”

Seriously? I have never eaten an elephant and personally don’t know anyone who has. The one bite phrase is meant to inspire and motivate but no one really eats an elephant. While I do like the word picture  there is a stirring in my heart which causes me to wonder  how and why I do what I do when a mountain of something rises floor to ceiling or earth to sky. I prefer oranges. Elephants are big, dusty and their trunk is odd and secretly I think a little creepy.

• What if we stopped thinking elephant and instead thought oranges?
• What if we allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed  by  juicy succulent moments -like  freshly peeled oranges pulsing crazy streams of stickiness into the world?
• What if we stopped focusing so hard on getting it done and enjoyed the here and now?

Oranges are messy, sweet and catch me off guard when I bite into one expecting sweet and finding sour.

 We don’t expect sour moments. They surprise us.  While none  are promised a perfect life, we secretly hope ours will be different…  a mix of more sweet than sour.

Between sweet and sour we experience life –  tears, laughter, illness, crisis, beginnings, endings, goodbyes and hello. Joy bursts forth amidst the celebration of new life. Hearts shatter at the separation of death.

 I want to push through the hard place and come back to sweetness. Living in-between is uncomfortable.  I am learning. Still and again- I am reminded a place of noticing and pause can be the best. I don’t want to rush. I desire to savor both sweet and sour, good and bad, easy and hard. All of it.

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”    Socrates

When we are constantly busy doing but neglect to BE in a moment, we are pushed toward the same barrenness spoken of  by dear Socrates. Slowly I find, there is less joy in the busy.I begin to choose differently. I discover small ways to live slower and with greater intention. I see ordinary and it is good.

This is however, not always easy. Busy is glorified, Not being busy is ….not glorified.

My mind daydreams,  and I  see the  “elephant of busy” .  She is no longer consumed with doing …instead, I see her embracing the moment as only an elephant can do! She sways in rhythm with an unseen partner to the beat of  a beautiful tango or is it the african drum she listens for?  She bobs and weaves to music which  no one else can hear . It’s her moment to shine . She  pauses and reaches out to receive an orange.

She gets it!

Her outlook has changed.

It’s a new day in elephant land.

Freedom.

• What if today was all you had?
• Would you regret how you spent it?
• Are you  willing to dance and reach for your orange- not caring if it is sweet or sour?

How about you my bloggy friend? Are you rushing,  and busy and neglecting to enjoy the ordinary? Try… just for a moment to breathe in and breathe out. Stop.Pause. Allow yourself the joy of  being. 

This moment.Right now.

 Praying for you as you begin your dance….listen for the rhythm of the moment.It’s there- in the distance… the sound may be small, but the chance to begin is yours. 

Over the past year I have become a part of an incredible writing community of  Tribewriters (you can join too) . This collection of souls are drawn together to create, live and breathe life through writing.  Jeff Goins the founder of Tribewriters,  encourages us to write, keep writing and then write more.

I recently had the privilege of reading an advance copy of Jeff‘s new book “The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing.” 

 In it, Jeff addresses the challenge of waiting through personal life stories. It’s great, inspiring, and for me, the reading of  it became a precious pause to my day. The pondering which followed the read is sure to be even richer!  Thanks Jeff!

You can order a copy today and receive not just the book,  but because Jeff is generous and great you will also receive a bucket of bonus material.  I have included the book trailer to pique your interest!

        Do you need a partner to walk through challenges or is there a yearning to experience a shift in your life?  Coaching a a powerful way to facilitate change. and as a Certified Life Coach, I can help !  Click Here for a no obligation, no cost discovery call.

        Blessings to each of YOU – regular readers , your presence here is a gift… new readers, I pray you receive a nugget of grace from these pages to fold into your heart.  Come again or sign up  via email to be a part of our community and receive personal notification of new posts and give-aways!