The secret of change, according to Socrates

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy
not on fighting the old, but on building
the new. ~ Socrates.

In my post, ‘Things turn out best for people like this,’ I talk about experiencing the soul-wrenching disappointment when our best laid plans end up going to hell in a hand basket instead. But the more I reflected on how the circumstances of my wake-up call played through, the more convinced I became that, when it appears the bottom fell out, what might be taking shape is the formation of a safety net. Maybe that one thing I had been prepping for, anticipating with every fiber of my being, would not have been in my best interests. Perhaps it would’ve placed me further from my hopes and dreams—the goals that comprise my daily attention. Instead of focusing my energy on fighting the old—the past—however, my eyes are now fixed on the present and building the new.

How do you respond to change?

Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

On resolve and regret

[Image credit: digitalart]

I’d rather regret the things I’ve done
Than the things I haven’t done. ~ Lucille Ball

Remember the flutter of anticipation you’d feel first thing in the morning upon waking, like you’re on the cusp of something big? And then you’d recall: today is my birthday or I’m leaving for vacation or I start a new job. None of these moments are in my peripheral vision at present, but I feel as if I’m teetering on the edge of something big; several little changes and life experiences appear to be leading toward a shift in direction. I wish GPS would offer me a bit of guidance right about now, but at some point we’ve either prepared ourselves for this journey or we wing it. Or, we do nothing at all and wait for life to pass us by. That’s a choice each of us has to make. And it could get messy. But I know what I’d regret the most.

Is your path paved with resolve or regrets?