“It my not have turned out to be a happily ever after, but most certainly there is now a fresh Once upon a time waiting for you from this day forward.”
-Clarissa Pinkola Éstes, Women Who Run With the Wolves
Many of us have been conditioned to never quit. By our family, teachers, society. To stay in a situation that may not be working despite our better judgement. Environments that disturb our sense of well-being. That mimic abusive relationships and deplete our energy.
The very notion of quitting can be daunting, may cause us to spiral into self-doubt. We may wonder whether we deserve better, whether there even is a better. But believing in our ability to thrive — in our deservedness — means that we trust our intuition, follow our inner knowing.
Sometimes that will involve letting go, saying goodbye. It does not mean we have failed, that we are failure. Instead it signifies courage, that we are living by our values and higher purpose.
Facing our fear of change can be postponed but we will feel unfulfilled until we do. Like something is missing, out of place, even out of control. We feel unable to make decisions because our mind is preoccupied and our nervous system over-burdened. Other areas of our life suffer.
Embracing our true value will almost certainly feel unfamiliar at first, especially if we have tolerated a dysfunctional or toxic situation. Starting over is acknowledging that something no longer takes care of us. That we have a right to design our life, to say YES to our bliss.
As we close one door another inevitably opens. This is the way the universe remains in dynamic flow and we see this all the time in nature. What we find before us, when we become willing to look, is always greater (and less frightening) than what we imagined.