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Tag Archives: Change

Change is Surely Inevitable . .

19 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by Cheryl Ries in aging, Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Lessons, Life, Maturity, Peace, Strength, Wisdom

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Acceptance, aging, Change, Peace of Mind

I miss the way things were earlier in my lifetime when I was younger and life seemed simpler. I suppose it’s a common phenomenon of growing older that change can leave a lot of our lives unrecognizable or just a wee bit uncomfortable. It’s inevitable, there are cycles in life, natural lifespans, and popularity, which impacts what we’re surrounded by each day we live. Everything and everybody which once surrounds us will ultimately fall victim to time’s passing, especially upon hitting mid-life. And the hardest part of growing old is watching all that is familiar give way to something new, different, or otherwise unfamiliar to us. Change is surely inevitable, but not always preferential! And accepting change is the most challenging but essential aspect of aging! Especially at a time like this when everything seems to change so much more rapidly than in years and generations prior. Perhaps we live in the time of the most significant change societies have ever had to absorb since the beginning of human existence in the world. I cannot say for sure, as I only live in this time.

 

Surely the earliest of human beings had to deal with a lot of perceptible development, just by becoming adults. There were significant and momentous developments visible through the ages, much like those evident during the industrial revolution or with the development of language in each culture over time. But these days, keeping up with things is literally imperative to know the ever-changing colloquial language, as well as all that which influences daily life. Imagine what would become of someone unfamiliar with even the most simple of technological developments these days? If someone didn’t know how to use a portable, instantaneous form of communicating such as a cell phone, they would probably feel very ignorant in this contemporary world! We’re able to instantly communicate, nearly everywhere in the world. We can speak, write, and even render our thoughts across the globe in seconds! Without an awareness of the internet, cell phones, computers, or other forms of technology, people would be clueless about much of the world’s modern functionality!  

And in that reflection, there are people in the world alive today who had the earliest form of telephone service available. They first had landlines which required operators to connect a call or which had multiple party connections, which meant negotiating for phone usage, and took considerable time for connecting from one place only miles away to others. A phone call was a great luxury when the telephone first became a household staple and even having a phone was not guaranteed in every household as a cell phone is expected to be these days. Having a telephone was a privilege one had to be able to afford to actually have. It was not that long ago that many of us living today had hard-wired phones, hanging on our walls or sitting on our tables. We had to manually dial all the numbers on a large rotary dial and we couldn’t move beyond the distance the length of the curled connecting cord between the base and the handset allowed. We didn’t always get through instantaneously because it took more time to actually dial, especially long distance, and there were often either interruptions or perhaps the line would be busy already. I’m surely not an expert on the history of such technology, but I lived through several technological changes over my lifetime which developed into the instantaneous, wireless, global service we have today! If Maxwell Smart were alive and spying today, would he even bother with a shoe phone? 

When I think of all the changes which I’ve witnessed and absorbed in my lifetime, I’m often disturbed by the pace of things! It’s not necessarily all that comfortable to grow old with things always changing, as things don’t often change for the better! As we age, change seems to be more prolific and more impactful such as with more of our family and friends passing away. It’s a matter of time’s natural passing and lifespan. We merely have to learn to become more accepting of living without those with whom we were first closely surrounded. And we must learn to let go of a lot of regular aspects of our daily lives. All things and people have a natural lifespan, including the familiar businesses, places, and landmarks of our communities and our hometowns. Everything comes and goes, with some random time pattern, not always of our choosing! It’s just a part of life. We might really enjoy a restaurant, perhaps we’re even regulars there,  we become our own version of “Norm!” from Cheers (a sitcom from the 1980’s) to some group we routinely encounter there. But then that place suffers from an economic downturn or the owners choose to retire, or some other random incident causes its closure. That happens repeatedly as we age, especially if we stay in the same place over a long period of time. We take notice of changes, of communities shifting and changing in demographics, in population, in prosperity, and economically. Landscapes with which we have great familiarity seem to morph into something unfamiliar and all-too-new. Change without our developing sense of acceptance is just unsettling.   

I often wish I could keep more of the familiar people and places in my life, sans change! It isn’t always comfortable or easy to accept a lot of the change which comes with age and with time’s passing. But acceptance is a strange bedfellow because it enables us to make as much peace as possible with something which inherently at first feels uncomfortable or unpleasant. And getting better at accepting things is making my life easier, even with all the bombardment of change which now seems “normal” at this time period of my life. I can’t go back to a time when life seemed simpler or easier, and I cannot slow life down to make it seem more tolerable. This life is going at a pace which requires my constant endurance and daily acceptance! And I work each new day to keep those muscles flexing for the fevered pace of change we’re experiencing in 2017! Who knows what is coming next in the world, by way of technological developments, or in my own community? It’s all constantly changing and morphing into a new version of today, each new tomorrow!

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What Is Normal?

25 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Contentment, Faith, Hope, Peace, Strength

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Acceptance, Change, Normal

What is normal? It’s the temporary state of being we enjoy until change happens, which it inevitably does! Normal is a current condition, a perception we have as to how things are. But “normal” is just fleeting, it isn’t sustainable, as normal will give way to a new normal very soon! It always does! So it’s best to not be too emotionally cemented to those seemingly normal facets of our lives in which we are most fond or in which we feel most comfortable.   

A good “for instance” of this is playing out right now in my life. I have lived a very long time doing certain things every morning in my preparations for the new day. My morning routine included washing, slathering, applying, and sealing. Now I have had to add a step of utmost importance, due to my new normal. I have had a few large skin cancers removed in the last year, so now I must routinely apply sunscreen and take notice of how exposed my body is, as well as for how long, underneath our vibrant, intense sun. Besides covering my scars, I want to protect the rest of my body from any more sun damage. It’s not hard, but it does require building up a new habit in my morning routines. The reason for the new steps is so important, I’m willing to make the new habit stick! Normal is not normal anymore, as there is a new normal for me. My new normal is to be much more aware of the effects of the sun, finally, after all these years! HA Better late than never I suppose. Now my new normal involves being stalwartly sun-aware and sun-protective. I will probably even become more of an advocate for sun protection for the sake of others too. I don’t want others to experience what I have had to in regards to their skin, so if I can help my loved ones and friends by reminding them about skin protection, I will! Normal only lasts until there is a reason for a new normal.

 

Perhaps we are to blame for giving too much emotional weight to our normal state of being so that when it changes or morphs, we don’t flow as easily into the new normal! I have a dear friend who is experiencing a change with her beautiful professionally trained singing voice after a mild bout of pneumonia a month or so ago. She is now unable to sing easily after having had all the symptoms of pneumonia, including a racking, rib-snapping cough. Her voice is hopefully only temporarily disturbed, but she resolutely and faithfully lives with this new normal right now. What choice does she have? This is the reality of things, and she has no answer other than to pray and have faith for resolution.  Perhaps the healing necessary to restore the quality and tone of her voice will happen in time. But there is a chance that it will not. She must accept either possibility and go on from there. That is the key to change and making things the new normal, even temporarily. We must go with the flow, as the adage suggests!

Our inability to accept unavoidable change is what makes us miserable. We hold onto our “normal” states as though they are promised! Life is ever-changing and that often means a shocking, sudden change is possible! So the sooner we accept change, the less struggle we make for our own lives. Going with the current of change with faith, hope and trust enable us to face normal one day, and the new normal the next. Surely it isn’t easy, it requires great strength to face a life-altering moment with such bravery and such courage! The other option is to make our daily lives miserable from then on by focusing on something we cannot do anything about. We then strip all the joy, peace and contentment from our own lives. Acceptance is the key to change, and change makes anything seem normal in time.   

The best way to view normal is something presently floating along with you on a current, your destination is unknown, the constancy of the current is not guaranteed, but that is the way it is right now, indefinitely. Later on, or on some other day, there might be a completely new normal.  The current state of something familiar to us might have changed. It’s only when we give our present normal reality and state of being some cement shoes or root it too deeply into our souls that we have trouble when the inevitable change occurs! Trust, have faith, and hope in spite of it all!  

Roll With the Changes . .

12 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Discipline, Freedom, Peace, Strength

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Change, Faith, Trust

Every day rolls in on new breaths, with new promises, and a lot of unknowns. Why do we allow ourselves to get stuck, feeling we are cemented where we are? Why do we believe we are stagnant, unmovable, and unchangeable when all around us everything is moving and changing? When we realize that we are too, we should see everything in us and outside of ourselves as a part of the flow of life.  0dc4d41d2712d6dd6f288b19d9dc4c2d

 

We and all of life are always morphing into a new state of circumstances and a different state of being. Just when you start to get that taste of stagnation, and that need to step out of a rut, propel yourself with the flow around you. There is nothing which cements you to a place, a way, an idea, a part or to any aspect of life permanently. We fluctuate, we come and go, we ebb and wane through the lives of others and in our own situations. We aren’t holding any space anywhere forever! So if it’s one you relish, make sure you relish it well and appreciate what you have while you have it and where you are while you’re still there!5a649965df19ee878e65f54954fc938f

 

Celebrate it, savor it, and be thankful for it! If it is one in which you have many regrets or feel uncomfortable, then use it as a catalyst to propel you to a new place and a different space! Don’t allow yourself to dwell in the discomfort and the angst of all the change in life, take the positive from everything and build within you a strong, sturdy yet flexible support. Make yourself able and willing, and life will seem more endurable and gentle to you! Today is a new day with new promises and new challenges awaiting you. Be a part, it is only in facing our role as perpetual students in life that we see our ability to grow and to change because of all the challenges and changes, as well as through every single thing!

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Rolling With the Changes . .

02 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Contentment, Courage, Growing, Joy, Lessons

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Acceptance, Change, Maturity

I’m rolling with the changes . . otherwise the brakes of resistance I try to apply wear out from fighting against the natural state of things. Life is ever-changing and though we might believe ourselves easily rocked by all the change we experience, we are only able to truly grow and develop when we’re forced out of our comfort zones. Change is life!  Persistence-and-Determination

We begin as babies incapable of fending for ourselves or appraising our own course; were we not to change, we wouldn’t even understand that we had life! So why does it often become harder to accept all the change of life by the middle or perceived end? I suppose it is our awareness having awakened us to the realities of life’s abruptness and unfiltered truths. Life can seem so hard once we understand loss, brevity, failure, fear, doubt, worry, anxiety, lack, need, and all the emotions which push upon our souls. But at the same time, life is supposed to have prepared us each step of the way for exactly what comes next, known or unknown. We should know by now that we’re not invincible, infallible and that our time is not infinite here on earth; but we should also believe ourselves successful at having made it this far!  Socrates-Quote-on-Change

We’ve learned, grown, developed, overcome, strengthened our minds, bodies and spirits for the journey yet to come! Why then be reticent when changes happen? Without change there can be no actual growth or development in us or around us, in which we might take great pleasure in having mastered another life skill or challenge! Life wouldn’t be much at all were we to remain as we once were. If we keep applying the brakes to our life as it changes around us – hiding or diverting from the changes we fear, dread or imagine – we risk stalling, crashing or disabling our own lives in the process. In the end, life is really the sum of all that we met and overcame in pursuit of some level of contentment, inner peace and joy within our souls! We should welcome the changes as new tests and testimonies for having stood tall and strong in this life!  

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Changing Currents . .

01 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Discipline, Joy, Lessons, Peace

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Change, Faith, Self-Control

Looks like Wuthering Heights out there this morning, with this misty, foggy morning we’re having. I’m enjoying the changes Winter brings; one day there’s warmth and sunshine, and the next a wet few days of cloudy chill. Change is good, it keeps us from getting used to the way things are; potentially growing quite restless from the boredom, sameness and constancy of our habits, patterns and thoughts. We are prompted by change to flow with it and to make the necessary alterations within to accommodate it.   DSCI0440

Without change, I would suppose even those things we value the most would soon meld into the growing stagnancy of our minds, thoughts and lives; thus making us a bit less appreciative and grateful for them. Change keeps us on our toes in life; it forces us to restructure, rebuild, renew and create. Change is disrupting, as it often moves us from the familiar and beloved, or at least from the all-too-comfortable realms of our world. It represents often times a bit of chaos, and with that our fears, doubts and worries are stoked into flames which threaten to consume our lives entirely at the onset. But change can also be the catalyst for something more; change can be the exact thing we need to shake us from our sleep, to motivate and to entice us into action which then betters our life. Learning to change our perspective in regards to the constant changing circumstances of our lives is key to how enjoyable our lives become and how at peace we are throughout. 532358_4001177101920_1572559675_n_large

Not everyone is accepting of change, as it usually represents a disruption to the patterns, ways and comforting familiarities of life; but change happens nonetheless. The best way we can learn to flow through life is to view life as an unpredictable ride on changing currents, leading us to unknown and uncertain places. Life becomes less a struggle when we accept the very nature of its constantly-changing transformation, alteration and uncertainty. And it’s often just our own fears, doubts and worries which make us doubt our ability to ride the latest changing current. We have to take control of our emotions in regards to the uncertainty and possible fears which changes represent to us. When we learn to control our reactions and emotions about what happens to us in life from within, we gain immeasurable peace, comfort and joy in life! What we need to face the unseen coming with these changes is faith in what we can’t see, know or prove. Faith in God, and His assurances to us, brings us the courage to face the changes and challenges of life head on, rather than to dread them! Have faith in today, through today and in God! For changes will come . . Signature02

LET THE FUN SHINE

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by Cheryl Ries in God

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adults, be positive, Change, choice, choosing, commitment, dream big, firm attitude, God, healthy esteem, Joy, joyful, positive energy, smiles, Worth

LET THE FUN SHINE

Let your sun shine, let the fun shine . . . be your joyful self, let the joy within you out, let your inner child reign!

I realize that as adults, we are all inundated with adult dilemmas.  We are overcome by problems, situations, a world plagued by worries and doubts, troubles and tribulations.  Where does that leave us these days?  We are often unable to find our own sweet natural smiles.  How many days do we walk under a dark dreary cloud, not able to muster a smile, nor to enjoy our lives?  It’s tragic, our days are numbered, so therefore, we are wasting such a precious commodity each time we waste one moment in our woeful turmoil.  I surely dread the thought that my last day would be spent muddled in mires of trouble.  I hope that I have pushed that aside and made a commitment to enjoy my every day, even the ones which are complicated by various situations, which I would wish away.  There are going to be those days, but I don’t have to be effected by them.  I can choose to look past them, to have a good attitude and to put my brightest beacon of a smile on, facing the world with an attitude of conqueror . . .

If you have done that, wasted days in perpetual condemnation, then you need to decide right now, enough!  No more wasting your most precious commodity, time!  God knows your days, but you don’t.  Believe in this day, believe it may be your last, and then ask yourself, do you want to waste it angry, frustrated, bitter, worried, conflicted, tense, or upset in any way, shape or form?  Ask yourself, “Self, how do I wish to spend this, my most precious day, today, the only one I know I have for certain?”

Hopefully, when you accept the realization that each is not promised but rather a generous gift, then you will believe your only choice is to correct your attitude, make changes in your behaviors, knowing that you are responsible for the outcome of your day.  We will all know good and bad events in our days.  That is a given.  No one is immune from the negative events which can hurt, harm, and chisel away at our security.  But bad events are only negative truly if we never learn from them, never see any opportunity to grow through the lessons we learn in them, nor if we never experience life as a survivor but rather always as a victim.  Even through the worst events in my life, eventually, after the pain subsides, I can see that I learned from the experience, I grew and improved from the living of that time.  It is all in our view of what we live through.  Change your view, be as positive and filled with faith, hope and a sense of determination through all your troubles as possible.  It is not always easy, but it is what makes us gritty and preserves our self-integrity, helps establish our sense of self in a strong and consistent way, and helps us to realize our full potential by eliminating the limitations we often place on ourselves when in “victim” mentalities.

See yourself as your own superhero of mood, attitude, emotion and determined effort!  Don’t just wait to react to things with emotions which tear down your defenses, but rather establish your own undeniable strong fortressed walls of healthy esteem, firm attitude, and positive energy.  Believe in yourself, accept that your life is a reflection of how you can shape your own emotions around life’s events, and don’t let anything tear down your sense of well-being, positivity, nor your assurances that all will work out for good in life!  Expect good things, dream big and don’t settle for less in life because you assume you aren’t worth any more!  You are worth the very best!

What's Ahead?!

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Dreams

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Change, Confidence, Doubt, Dreams, Faith, Fear, Spirit

What’s Ahead?!

There are always turning points in our lives, the places we come to along the journey when we have to veer, make an amended plan or alter our course because we’ve run out of usable road! It’s inevitable! We simply must correct as we go. The difficulty arises when we stalwartly cling to our familiar places, our constant patterns, the things to which we are most familiar. It’s not easy to adapt when we are hanging on for dear life to what we don’t want to release!  What is it about those turning points that makes us so afraid? Is it the fact that we are in fact changing something, even though we might not be happy with the status quo, that makes us face a different or altered direction? It’s just that, we are usually uncomfortable with too much change, as change means doing or being something different.

In change, we see the unknown, the uncertain, and the possibility for all sorts of problems. At least that’s how we see it when we look at change through eyes of fear or doubt. When we view change as an inevitable and necessary means of growth, personal development and advancing our spiritual maturity, it can become the vehicle for our success!  Turning points are like the curves in the mountain roadway, the only way to the summit is by making the criss-crossing switchback turns which will allow you to manipulate your way to the top! So, without regular turns, your life would soon grow stagnant and ineffectual for your necessary growth! You need those switchbacks to push you out of your comfortable places, forcing you to learn the fine art of adaptation, the ways to patiently deal with variation, and the feeling of accomplishment which comes from slowly winding your way up all the great mountains of your life, one turn after another!

Master the art of change, the skill of flexible adaptation, and you will successfully ascend to all the summits of your success!   The master of turning points will recognize the beauty in the changes which make their life different. Seize the day, take the moment in hand and believe that you have what it takes to make the change work on your behalf! Your ability to alter each step of your journey, whilst negotiating all the hazards of the unknown, will leave you feeling strong and capable, instead of fearful and impotent. You can even capitalize on your faith the most within change! It is when you are most beset with the fear of something new, that you are able to muster your strongest response, overcoming, excelling pushing past to the next obstacle in your path. It’s inevitable, when we are the most under pressure, the most fearful and the worries want to stranglehold our dreams, that we are able to rise up like warriors, certain of our faith and able to wage war against anything which threatens our peace!    Accept change as the benevolent teacher of great life lessons! That is truly what it is . . and as much as you might not like the sensations you experience with each change, mastering them with confidence can and will make you wear the medal of honor, having faced fear and won! 

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