At Clarity Road, we are all about helping you navigate your own road toward fulfilment. But there is one obstacle on this road that often proves more hazardous than the rest – the crocodile pit.
Kidding (or are we?). For many, the actual hardest part about initiating change is taking the first step.
You may have reached a crossroads in your life. You may have figured out exactly what you want to change, and where you want to be. But many of us falter when it comes time to take action. We tuck our big ideas and desires into a sheltered corner of our minds. We’ll pull them out and mull them over another day. Next weekend we’ll get to it – next weekend for sure!
This tendency to endlessly put off making the first step toward a goal has us (geniuses) at Clarity Road asking, why? Why is it so darn tricky to get one inch closer to change? What makes it so difficult for us to move toward something positive?
Taking the first step toward something new means leaving something behind
Even if you fantasise about swapping lives with octomom during teething time instead of spending another day in your own shoes, there is no denying that what we know is comfortable.
We may be stuck in a job that we hate that also supplies financial stability. We may be rooted in an unsatisfying relationship that also gives us security. There are always aspects of our lives that we are hesitant to step away from, but there comes a time when we need to take the plunge. Focussing on what you have to lose can easily blind you to all there is to gain.
Taking the first step means chancing failure
We all fear judgment. We don’t want to be seen making a wrong move, or to be letting down those we hold dear. Starting a new business, deciding to get back into the dating scene again after a break up, or even trying a new brand of coffee involves risk – the possibility of failure. And isn’t that what we all, deep down, fear most? We may reject ideas of “fitting in” and dismiss the way that society views our choices, but there are always certain people for whom we want to be the best we can be; who we don’t want to disappoint.
Yes, making a major life change could be the first step toward failure. But it could also lead you to greater happiness and contentment. If you are struggling to take your first step, consider this: will you regret not taking the plunge?
Think of your first step as a leap of faith
Instead of the abandonment of your previous life, or an invitation of failure, envision your first step as a leap of faith. In the end, isn’t that what life itself is? After experiencing a life changing event, we can all attest to the idea that none of us know what is around the corner. Why not take ownership of your life? Why not forge a new, exciting path?
Your first step may not be anything emphatic or earth-shaking, and it may not lead to anything big any time soon – just ask Julie about how long it’s taken to establish Clarity Road!
But even if the first step you take leads to a dead end, you will have momentum and experience on your side to keep going, and to eventually reach your goal.
And outrun the crocodiles.
The Clarity Road Team
