Starting the Next Chapter

"You can't start the next chapter in your life if you keep re-reading the last one." Unknown

There are so many ways of interpreting this, but today is a good day to think about what it could mean for you. 

Picture attribution: Pixaby free images

Life is all about growing, learning and changing.  Each of these words imply a sense of moving.  Generally it involves moving toward something new, something different or something unexpected.  Occasionally it may mean repeating something in order to make a better decision or find a better solution to a situation.  One thing about life is for sure, it goes on, with or without your permission, all around you.  The next day, the next chapter, or the next experience is waiting for you.

The last chapter of your life happened. You may have laughed or you may have cried. You may have been alone or had someone important to you supporting or loving you through. You may have failed or you may have succeeded.  You may have found some rest or worked your hardest.  You may have forgotten or you may have remembered something or someone that made a difference for you.  You may have learned something new or remembered you already knew what you needed to make it through this chapter.  Whatever happened or wherever you ended up, you finished.  Congratulations.

Like the student who just graduated, you are at a new starting point.  You have been coached, taught and encouraged. You have been presented with a myriad of lessons and experiences which assisted you in learning the skills, gaining the knowledge or improving your abilities needed to begin the next chapter or next phase of life. You have been prepared.  Just like the student you may feel uneasy about what the future holds.  Like the student, you may want to just remain as you are.  You like who you are at this moment.  Facing the unknown holds the possibility of events or experiences which may change you.  Like the student, you may want to hold tightly to the relationships of friends and teachers and the security of structured/planned days.  Instead of moving on you try to keep what you have, or re-read the last chapter hoping to find all the answers instead of turning the page.

Today is the beginning of your next chapter.  It might be only a new day or it may be a new month. Perhaps you are at a crossroad, ready to make a choice of which new path to take.  Perhaps you have experienced a recent life event such as marriage, the birth of a new child and you now have someone new to share joys and sorrows with.  You may have just experience the loss of a companion through divorce or death and now must move forward without the thought of including them in decisions.  Are you the one starting a new job or a facing an opportunity you thought would never come your way?   Whoever you are, what ever your circumstances and wherever you are at this moment, now is your time to turn the page.  It is time to start a new chapter only you can write.  

It's A New Year- Evaluate Where You Are

As I have said before, I am no better than you.  I am a regular human being with strengths and weaknesses.   I experience success and failure. I stumble.  I fall.  I have to pick myself up, rush off the dust and begin again.  I have to pause to reevaluate life and the choices I made or can make now.  I have moments of joy and other moments of sorrow or regret.  There are days when things go well and more days when things seem overwhelming and impossible to get through.  Like you, I have times when responsibilities seem to overtake everything and the things I enjoy or feel passionate about get set on the back burner to simmer or cool while I put out the fires, provide or support others, deal with unexpected setbacks or emergencies or juggle increasing demands for my time. 

Putting my interests and passions on the back burner is a good way of describing what happened the past months with this blog.  I was enjoying sharing some quotes and thoughts which I hoped would lift someone's spirit or give encouragement.  I was able to share on a fairly regular schedule for several months last year.  I loved what I was doing and wanted to do more.   Life events changed, just as they do in yours, and demands on my time, energy and focus shifted.  This blog, unfortunately for all of us, got neglected.  My thoughts were still here and I often wrote in various places, such as a journal or sticky notes something I thought valuable to share with others, yet choices were made to spend my time in other activities, meeting the needs and requests of others, working and struggling to make ends meet. I even took the leap from renting back to owning a home, including packing and unpacking (which is still proceeding gradually), changing schools and all the inherent expected and unexpected differences in time management and priorities which go along with such a decision.

A new year is beginning.  Like you, I am looking forward to not only what 2017 will offer me but what I can do (or wish to) to make this year one of the best, not only for myself but also for others I care about, which includes you.    So just as I encourage you to forgive yourself, I ask you to forgive me for not sharing more these past months.  I pray I will be able to reach back out to you regularly, touch your spirit and support you through whatever experiences come your way during this new year. 

I thank you for your patience and understanding.  I hope that something I say may be of benefit to  you or someone you know.  None of us live life alone.  There is always someone near or in our thoughts.  So feel free to take anything of value you find in these pages, pass them on or encourage someone you know with your own experiences or thoughts.  

So join me in this new year.  Begin something new or go back to something you put on hold for awhile.  Realign your priorities, demands and interests.  Use this year to improve your own or touch someone else with your talents, abilities, hopes, dreams and strength.   Between us, we have the possibility to make this year one to be remembered.