Welcome to MOST LIFE and this week it’s “F” for FREEDOM. We have been exploring the 8 Dimensions of a MOST LIFE, this week, the 7th Dimension, DEPARTURE! It is such sweet sorrow!
This week we look at freedom in a new light, it comes with leaving something behind. What we leave behind might be an old job, an old lover or an old self. Maybe it is something we clung to that defines us. Perhaps it is a message that we received from long ago about ourself that we know doesn’t serve us any longer. In a previous blog, I spoke about the inspiring Elephant, Billie and the wonderful book by Carol Bradley, The Last Chain on Billie. Billie didn’t let her new caretakers cut off her last chain until well into her stay at the Sanctuary in Tennessee. We can all relate to her hesitation to leave that which she was familiar with, even though it hurt her.
Departures can be scary, exciting, exhilarating, exhausting, energizing, all of these and more. We know they take an abundance of energy, which is why we must have fuel behind the change, otherwise we drift back to our known ZONE. Or, as in Billie’s case, we don’t release, because familiarity has a grip on us, literally.
To reflect on where we might have to make a departure to have more personal FREEDOM, let’s ask ourselves 3 key questions:
- Where is my next opportunity?
- Is there something holding me back that I must leave?
- How can I create a big enough why to motivate me to make the change?
When I was a young nurse I was very interested in cardiac care, the intensive care unit was exciting, lots of machines to master, drugs to know and emergencies that required me to be on top of my game! I loved it! Except, I didn’t feel that I was helping patients get well. I decided to leave the excitement of the Cardiac Intensive Unit for Cardiac Rehabilitation and teach patients how to be well after a heart attack or surgery. I loved it! But,it required me to leave behind the traditional nursing identity, expectations, etc. I had to make a departure to move to something more fulfilling to me.
With a plan and a fueled up reason we can move onto anything that gives us greater FREEDOM. Reflect on those questions and more with this week’s IDEASheet. Remember, departing is such sweet sorrow!
