I was talking with a friend the other day. I hadn’t seen her in a while, so we spent time catching up.
One of the things that she shared was that she was no longer happy at work.
She has been unhappy for a long time.
She has been there for years and wanted to try something different.
I asked her what was holding her back. What she shared with me was both interesting and sad.
She gave me all the thoughts that were holding her back. One of the many was “I’m too old to change.” Another was I can’t risk leaving my job because I’m on my own paying my bills.”
She shared these thoughts as if they were true. But they’re not true.
Her age is just a number (by the way she and I are the same age).
Just because she pays her own bills doesn’t mean she can’t find a job that makes her happy. One thing has nothing to do with the other. (Oh, and most of us pay our own bills.)
I just listened to her because it was not a coaching moment. It was a friend-listening moment. That was the best I could do for her.
But it made me think.
I thought about how thoughts have kept us unhappy and stuck for years because we take these thoughts as truth.
I thought about how we hold back because of fear and end up missing out.
I thought about how time doesn’t wait for us – we either take advantage of it and act or let life pass us by.
It reminded me that our lower brain is always looking to protect us.
But it doesn’t necessarily mean we need protecting.
Our brain is doing its job.
Our job is to look at the warning signs our brain sends out and decide.
We get to decide whether there is truly danger or if we can jump in with the uncomfortableness and with the fear and with the unknown.
This made me think.
Am I holding back?
I did a quick review of things I’m waiting to act on until the “time is right.”
Can I jump in now instead of waiting?
Can I jump in now knowing it may be uncomfortable?
Can I jump in now knowing it may be hard?
This is a reminder for you too. Is there something you’re holding back on because your brain is sending you warning signs that it will be uncomfortable, that it will be hard.
If so, ask yourself, do you need protecting or can you jump in?
P.S. Do you have obstacles keeping you from moving forward and taking action? Are you looking for a change? Do you want someone to guide you through your journey instead of DIYing it? Join me on a call and learn how thinking differently creates different results. Reach out to schedule a call and learn how we can work together. Contact my office 305-445-0477 or email me at emy@coralgablescounseling.
