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Moving Through Change-It’s an Inside Job

Posted on Jan 26, 2013

By Jean Marie DiGiovanna

Since I last wrote, I have moved my residence and business from Boston, MA to Boulder, Colorado. The first question I typically get is “What prompted the move? Why Colorado?” I sometimes answer “Why not?” and then when they think for a moment about how beautiful it is here, they say “Yeah, I can see that”. But the deeper answer is reflected so nicely in the famous quote by Anais Nin: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”.

There were many circumstances that came together that made the timing right, but in the end, the impetus to move came from a deep knowing within that something needed to change. The place I was at was not where I saw myself in the long term. There came the time when that tug became so strong, the timing allowed me to be able to take the leap and I almost had no choice but to follow it. What I find most intriguing about the process is that my direction would come to me in pieces and to this day, I cannot pinpoint how it came to be. Have I been thinking about Colorado for years? No – that came to me early this year and glimpses last summer, but I think it was deeply ingrained in my soul and each year, I allowed myself to open the door a little bit more so that when the timing came together, it came through. Some people call it intuition or your inner knowing, but it’s only when we stop and allow ourselves to ask the deeper questions and wait quietly for the answers (and sometimes, it takes a long time), that those messages come through.

This move, for me has been a huge lesson in allowing something bigger than me to guide me. And, that’s not always an easy thing to do. It requires letting go (you mean, I can’t control it?!), being with the unknown (and that can last a while), practicing patience and most of all trusting that I am on the right path, even if things don’t always go so smoothly.

I have learned that when things don’t go so smoothly (which happened a lot when I first arrived) that something in me is off and I need to take the time out to explore it. For me, when I experience those snags in life, it’s an indication that I am not completely grounded. That trigger reminds me to stop, breathe and visualize roots coming out of my body and down through my feet and into the deep, deep earth. That’s just one small thing I can remind myself but it first takes being aware of what is happening. Sometimes, we are moving so fast through life, we don’t even recognize what is or is not happening. I am learning to slow down, slow WAY down, in fact even my driving is completely different than how I was in Boston. There is a mellow-ness to me and a greater appreciation of everything around me than was just not accessed before.

Notice I use the word “access” as I truly believe in each and every one of us, there is patience, beauty, appreciation, connection, gratitude and love. It’s all there ready to be accessed and revealed. I urge you as you move into this holiday season to slow down, slow WAY down and allow whatever is there to reveal itself. What you first discover may be surprising, painful or joyful, but whatever it may be, treat it with respect, listen to what it’s telling you and stay in that place of curiosity as you move through it because when you are open, the answers you are looking for will show up!

Monthly Workout

Take on the following questions and process below for this month’s workout:

1. Find a quiet place you can go where you won’t be interrupted for 30 minutes or more.  Bring a journal and something to write with.
2. As you get comfortable in this space, take several deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth.  Take a moment between the in and out breath and hold it, before releasing it.  As you release, imagine all the worries, stresses and anything on your mind to melt away through your breath.
3. As you begin to feel your body relax imagine roots coming through your body and feet and going deep into the floor and then through the earth below you.  Then imagine all those roots below you connecting with other roots deep into the ground.
4. Allow yourself to experience what you feel. Notice what feels different – try not to judge, just notice and then let go of that.
5. From this place, ask the following questions and just wait and notice what comes up.  If it helps to ask for guidance prior to asking, that is fine too.  If it helps to journal any answers that come up, feel free.  The goal here is to get your head and mind out of the way and allow something deeper to answer. (It sometimes helps to close your eyes as you are asking these questions)
   1. Am I exactly where I want to be?
   2. Where do I want to be?
   3. What in me most wants to come out?
   4. What in me is most needing my attention?
   5. How can I honor and respect exactly what is there?
   6. What is one small thing my soul is wanting me to do?
   7. Who is my soul wanting me to be?

Now, take a moment to thank your soul for sharing, notice your body again and open your eyes. 

1. Take some time to look back at what came up and, without judgment, come up with one action to help move you closer to what you want.

Let me know what transpires out of this exercise.