Letting go

This doesn't mean letting go of your goals or ambitions, rather letting go anything that doesn't serve you any more. It's easier to stay the same than to make a change How many people do we know who would rather stay in a relationship that is bad for them rather than moving on and being single? (and how many of us have been in this situation too?) You may feel as though you are a failure if you give up on something, but if that "something" is bad for you, then it is empowering and healthy for you to give it up instead of clinging tightly onto it because you fear what may happen if you let go. I firmly believe it's better to try a new venture, even if you fail at it, than not attempting it at all and always thinking, "what if?"

 Another thing to think about is the saying "familiarity breeds contempt." If we never change or move on to new challenges we may run the risk of getting bored and not achieving our full potential. It's the difference between a person starting a new job who's excited and full of get up and go, compared to the person who has been doing the job for years who is jaded and lacks enthusiasm. Yes, part of the responsibility here is for the employer to keep the workers feeling challenged and that they are appreciated, and for the workers themselves to take an interest in the work and have a positive attitude regarding it, but it is human nature to feel as though things are stagnant and that you're getting into a rut over time. I'm not saying that you should leave your job after a certain amount of time, but it could be a wake up call to inject some aspect of change into it. Is there an opportunity for promotion, or working in a different department? What can you bring to the job to make it better? Can you suggest changes? It's certainly something for a lot of us to think about

Another message here is that change is as good as a rest. It may hurt, or be hard to do, but it really isn't worth keeping hold of anything painful, be that people, physical items or emotions. It's time to let go of the pain and open ourselves up to change and new adventures.

 To keep things in perspective, and to make sure you don't become disillusioned, you don't want to bite off more than you can chew. Keep these changes at a manageable level or else you could stretch yourself too far and end up with to much on your plate in one go.

Yes, have dreams and reach out for new things, but at the same time you want to make sure that you don't run before you can walk or you may get your fingers burnt! Break down your plans and ambitions into bite-size pieces that you are able to handle. That way you won't become overwhelmed or demoralised if you haven't achieved them straight away. Be realistic in the goals you set yourself.

For example, there's no point setting a goal that you will be able to pass your driving test by a certain date if you don't have the money for lessons yet. Instead, you could set a goal of saving the money first, and while doing this learning the Highway Code so that you are still making progress in this area and working towards you're ultimate goal. Once you're having lessons, set smaller targets rather than passing by a particular date, such as passing your theory test, or mastering a manoeuver you're struggling with.

So yes, try new things, stretch yourself, have ambition, but be kind to yourself too and try not to set yourself up for a fall. It's better to make steady progress in small amounts each time than setting yourself an impossible task or making yourself miserable while trying to follow your dreams.