Tuesday, April 10, 2012

You Can't Start The Next Chapter...

At first glance, this is an amazing  
and incredibly accurate quote, yes? Very powerful the first time you read it. And really, quite easy to look at, repeat to yourself, say "Wow, that's cool"...then move on to the next 'thing' to look at.
But not me :-P no, no...I couldn't just take a glance, appreciate what the statement said, then move on. I've spent lots of time over the past few weeks, kicking this particular saying around in my head...intending to sit down and blog about it SEVERAL times, but not being able to find the 'bottom' of it! Every time I sat with it, I kept finding more and more times in my life, more and more examples of re-reading the last chapter, right in the middle of this one! So since I first read this statement, I've gone all the way into the deep end and back...many times...and I've come back to the place where I can actually look at it, and say "Wow, that's cool!" - so let's talk about it! :-D
Ya'll know that I am VERY into living in the now, staying present to what IS, and creating what I want to BE in the future. I don't tend to spend much time in the past, in terms of carrying baggage around and certainly not living with regrets. But after reading, then sitting with this quote, I realized how often we do refer back to previous responses to current conditions/circumstances.
Default thoughts, if you will.
"You can't start the next chapter of your life, if you keep re-reading the last one".
Imagine that you're actually reading your life. You're in, lets say Chapter 8. This happens, that happens, this shows up, that shows up...you deal with this, you deal with that.
Then time takes you to Chapter 9. A new job, lets say.
So, you're getting ready to start this new job...you get up, get yourself all prettied up for the day at the office...you get in the car, coffe and all...and head to work. Would you take the same route that lead you to your previous job? Probably not, because you're excited about the newness of THIS job. You'll be in a different office, a different desk/cubicle, different co-workers, different job benefits, perhaps different hours...maybe even a different career path! The similarity, is that they're both your job. Maybe you even have the same coffee cup and plant on your desk that you had at your previous job. But there is SO much that is different....making this a new chapter, rather than the continuation of the last one.
New chapters bring new circumstances, surroundings, people, opportunities, benefits and challenges. Whether that new chapter is a relationship, occupation, financial situation, geographic location, or any
number of other things, it is a NEW chapter, and should be tended to with a NEW outlook.
You don't go to your ex-significant other's house looking for your new one, right?
You don't go to your previous address, walk in the door, get in the shower and climb into bed, right?
You don't wear the same clothes you wore as a child, right?
These are all kind of extreme examples, but intended to give you the image of doing 'old' things in a new phase of your life. So often we drag the 'old' thoughts, actions, expectations, etc into new chapters of our lives.
As with a novel of any sort, you may need to reference actions or occurances from the previous chapter, in order to help 'lead' you to THIS chapter...but that's all it is - a point of reference. Not the recipe by which you must address THIS action or occurance.
Here's the BEAUTIFUL thing...the BEAUTIFUL gift of this life...EVERY DAY CAN BE A NEW CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!! Every day!
I watched a great video last week (which I will post on this blog at some point!) - and one line from this video was "Do you think that this is just another day in your life?" I love the quote, because the rest of the video is a beautiful journey through the things you can do every single day, to make a difference in the world.
So I offer you this....every morning, when you wake up - say to yourself, "This is NOT just another day in my life! This is page one of a new chapter" - and invite yourself to be brand new today. That doesn't mean you have to forget your past, or pretend something didn't happen - nothing like that. It just means that you're ready to turn the page, and have a fresh new chapter in your life begin right now.

Because you cannot read 2 chapters at once, and really GET the message from both, you will need to pick ONE and go with it. If you choose to re-read the last chapter, then do it. If that's where you want to be. If you're ready to move on and move forward and move AHEAD....then close that chapter, and start the new one - with all of your heart!

Here's to THIS chapter. TODAY'S chapter.
Make it amazing!! Please feel free to e-mail me and let me know what you're up to! Let me know what this next chapter holds for you - and if need be - constantly REMIND YOURSELF that you've started a NEW chapter <3

Until next time,
Jill

2 comments:

  1. Thank you Jill! Great blog. :-)

    I agree completely--let's live in the NOW! Let's turn the page and get on with the story!!!

    I am loving the new chapter of my life I am currently living!

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  2. You are incredible. Write a book, beautiful Jill!!

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