“Getting over a painful experience is much like…”

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.”

—C.S. Lewis, 19th century novelist, poet, and essayist

Photo from Flickr by RawheaD Rex

Photo from Flickr by RawheaD Rex

Over the course of my 21 years as a coach, I’ve seen just about every sorrow and success a person can experience. Peaks and valleys, stepping up and sliding down, are par for the course and no one is immune to life’s fluctuations.

I’ve also noticed that the people with the greatest sense of balance, happiness, and satisfaction are those who experience life events for whatever they are, and don’t hold on too long. They’ve learned to let go in order to move on.

EXERCISE:

Examine your own life or the lives of those close to you. Is assistance needed to let go of past painful experiences in order to move forward?  Consider requesting or offering assistance where appropriate.

“You can only lose what you cling to.”

“You can only lose what you cling to.”
— Health Magazine published by Dr. Burke’s Sanitarium, of Sonoma County, California December 1905

Photo from Flickr by Mary Anne Enriquez

Photo from Flickr by Mary Anne Enriquez

Are there people in your life you would describe as “clingy”?

Perhaps they hold on tightly, invade your personal space, have an overly strong attachment or dependency, to you or another, or resist letting go of the past.

What response does their “clinginess” elicit from others?

Today’s quote implies that the more we cling to something, the more likely we are to lose it – whether that something is an inanimate object, or another person.

EXERCISE:

How might loosening your grip on the things you value lead to a more abundant life?