Fresh Starts

Spring can be a great inspiration for fresh starts, since we can so clearly see the change in nature surrounding us. Flowers start to come up, lambs are being born, there is a lot more light…This change in the outer world can provide us with some additional energy to – at least think about – change in our life.

But which shapes can change take?

It can be the ‘big’, visible things. Moving to a new place, changing job, starting a new relationship. Change can also come in the shape of events we really hadn’t asked for, like illness or the loss of somebody we love. It can be incredibly scary.

And then there’s the kind of change that doesn’t usually get too much mention: things shifting inside of us. I am a big believer in the power and possibility of inner change. Change inside can start suddenly, through powerful experiences, either pleasurable or painful. But it can also be the fruit of regular practice. In practising mindfulness, we see more and more clearly what doesn’t serve us anymore. We get to know ourselves better and realise what truly makes us and the people around us happy and gives us a sense of ease.

The next step is to do less of that which has a negative effect on our state of mind and doing more of that which gives us a sense of clarity and ease. Following that which we know to be true. Trusting in the moments of calm and ease in our lives. The thoughts we have looking at the nightsky in amazement or dancing to our favorite song are usually more trustworthy then the ones we have when we feel tired after an exhausting day at work. Distinguishing which thoughts are worth following up might be one of the most valuable skills we can learn. Learning to observe our thoughts, rather than completely identifying with them, gives us more and more freedom to decide which thoughts to follow and which actions to take.

Fresh starts in our lifes do not have to come in the shape of big fireworks. They can be small changes in behaviour: watching the sunset rather than the fifth episode in a row of our current favorite box set. Calling a friend we haven’t spoken to in a while, rather than just thinking about it for the 23^rd time. Gently putting nagging thoughts aside and focussing on our bodily sensations instead. Signing up for that course that we feel would be good for us. There are many small opportunities for change, every day.

Clear, calm, happy moments in our lives can act like signposts. If we bring up the courage, more and more often, to not only read what it says on the signs, but to start walking in the direction they’re pointing us to, we’re on a good path. The good news is: every single day is a new possibility to start fresh. And falling into unhelpful patterns is not a proof that we’re lost, it’s a stumbling block that each and every one of us comes across countless times. No matter how many of those cross our path, in the form of habit, fear or doubt and no matter how many times we fall over them, the beautiful truth is: it’s never too late to get up and start again.