By Catherine Franz
Thinking back on it, my lifestyle change journey really began
about eight years ago. But I didn't become aware of it until
about three years ago when I consciously decided I needed to
lead a "lighter" life and started by cleaning out the medicine
cabinet.
It seems so simple now, but it took three months before I could
let go of the contents of that 14 x 16- inch space. Every time I
went in that cabinet, a more honest assessment yielded more
trash. Soon it became easier to be honest about the clutter of
my life, at least the old stuff. Memory stuff was not so
easy--things my parents gave me, my ex- husband, old boyfriends,
friends--I'm sure you get the picture. Of course, the kids'
stuff was the hardest. But practice does make perfect, and in
time I was able to make hard choices about what was really
important to me. Slowly but steadily over the next three years I
conquered the rest of my house-- purging and cleaning every
corner, cabinet and room.
Happy with what I'd accomplished, by fall of 2005 I was ready to
focus on other life shifting goals. It was as if cleaning out
the medicine cabinet and the rest of the house was the catalyst
for other, bigger changes.
And the messages to make changes were all around me. Early in
November 2005, I started hearing them. "It¡¯s time to really
shift." I heard Dr. Phil, television¡¯s well-known therapist,
say whenever I clicked on his show. I didn't watch him very
often but when my intuition said tape it or turn on the tube, I
did, and there was the same message, "If it isn't working for
you, change it." The timing was always impeccable. Of course, he
expressed the message in different words.
But even with these coincidences, I heard the bold words but
didn't take any action. Then the messages started bombarding me.
Small, soft, large and loud. They kept coming. In early
December, while in a meditative state, I heard it. This time
very clearly, very direct AND very, very loud, and firm. "Its
time to really commit and get bold. Its time to reinvent
yourself, Catherine."
All I could do was give a throat chuckle. The message scared the
heebie jeebies out of me. Over the space of the week my feelings
transitioned into, "Okay, I'm open, what do you mean by that?" I
asked even though I had a good idea what it meant. The vision of
selling everything and changing my environment to be much
lighter, more Zen-like. I've needed to lose a lot of weight
(that was always a goal). But this time it was different, it
wasn't the weight at all. It was, "Get healthy. There¡¯s a lot
in store for you, and you need to be healthy in order to get
there."
The picture got clearer as each week progressed. Key items
appeared, I got nervous, questioned it, mulled over it, ran and
tried to hide for a few hours from it, shared my doubts with my
best friend, Brenda. The doubts faded but my lack of trust in
myself didn't totally go away. I kept wanting all the answers. I
want to know exactly what I was to do and how to do it.
The New Year is here now and I know what I need to do, although
I still have no clue of what it all means. The thoughts of
measuring up to the vision is still a little nerve wracking.
Doubts come and go but only when I really don't want to eat
healthy or exercise. One step, now, is all I can focus on. Eat
healthy now. Exercise now. Sell one piece of furniture now. Its
replacement will come. I know all will come at the right time.
And I think that is the only thing that keeps me in the "now" of
working towards wherever this "reinventing Catherine" message is
leading me. I hold on to the vision that has been there for the
last few months as I really like its picture.
Yesterday, I spent some time working on my 2006 Attraction
Board. It had been in the works since early November but the
pictures weren't clear. Yesterday, while in the craft store
things began to mesh. This week I plan on test-driving new cars,
deciding on which one I like, and placing its picture on my
Attraction Board so that the universal laws will bring it to me.
When messages come of steps that you want to take, allow
yourself to go through the emotions, but don't get stuck in the
feelings. Keep the door open because the message you receive may
only be a partial picture. If you block it because it seems too
big or impossible or unimportant, then the next message, the one
that explains it or gives it additional clarity, won't get
through to you. Even profound decisions often mask themselves as
many simple choices -- like cleaning out a medicine cabinet --
and only take a few moments to make. So be ready. Keep the doors
open to the possibilities and listen -- messages can come from
the strangest places -- a television program, a child, a piece
of music, a memory or your own behavior. It really isn't
difficult. It is a decision though. It is a choice.
(c) Copyright 2006, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.
About the author:
Catherine Franz, is a syndicated columnist, author, radio host,
International speaker, and master business coach.
http://www.abundancecenter.com
