“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” Mandy Hale
The pain of not belonging usually begins in the heart. It’s a signal to move that we ignore until misery begins to set in. When we ignore the signal, pain begins to manifest; it sometimes shows up as anger or frustration, and it often leads to an inevitable end.
I remember the feeling of being stuck many times in my past. It began as a slow realization that I was in an environment I could no longer serve, and one that could no longer serve me. I could not fix this feeling, it was something in my gut or heart telling me it was time to go, and I waited too long, but eventually left.
When this realization settles in, it is time to begin looking for what’s next because your happiness and future potential depend on your courage to go.
Change is scary. Unknowns are pervasive and frightening, so it’s good to look back at survey all the times we have gone hungry or were without shelter. Most will realize, that the instances are few, or non-existent. This can give us the necessary courage to move and make a necessary change. It is also important to know that growth is impossible without change.
One way to look at this change is by viewing our life as a story, with each phase being a chapter. We will never know exactly how the book ends, but we can decide to end one chapter and begin another when we feel the time is right.
This is necessary for growth and it’s the only way to become a co-author of our destiny. So remember, growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.
Bits of Wisdom Podcast #49