A Lake Houston Area Magazine
By Tiara Guard Marenco
Starting Over
by Tiara Marenco
Eventually we all get tired of the self-help articles about hitting the gym, quitting smoking or breaking some other bad habit we might have. The New Year comes and goes and honestly most of us don’t stick with resolutions anyway. But what if we had no choice? What if we had to change? What if we lost everything and had to start over?
How would one do that? How do you pick up the shattered pieces? Do we try and glue them back together? Or should we move on and reinvent ourselves? On paper this might sound easy. In real life though, this thought is terrifying!
This past year has marked incredible loss in many people’s lives. Physical loss. Emotional loss. We have seen communities come together. But eventually, people part their ways. We return to our lives. And it is up to us to manage what is left.
We have to be completely honest. Forget embarrassment. Forget pride. Tell everyone who asks what happened. Own any mistakes you might have made. People are not mind readers. They cannot help if they do not know. Be honest.
Be ready for change. Personally, I hate that word. I am a creature of habit and I don’t appreciate having my schedule interrupted. That being said, without the willingness to change, I would be completely stuck. I cannot ask the world to move around me. I must be willing to adapt. This skill will benefit you in so many ways. Being able to roll with the punches helps lower stress and anxiety. It helps control anger and remove potentially embarrassing outbursts. It will help to heal heartache. Be ready.
Leave yourself notes! Create notes that help you focus on what you need and want to reinvent yourself. Do this everyday. These simple reminders will help you stay positive and moving forward. You will notice too, that while some things stick, others fall by the wayside. Let those that do not find permanence go. Embrace only the ones that are most important to your final goal. Verbalize the visions you have and write them down.
Be forgiving. Allow yourself the room to fail. Whether it is in business or love or personal change. Learn from those mistakes and keep your internal dialogue positive. You are worth being happy. You deserve to succeed. You can achieve the best you.
Give yourself room. Part of change is being flexible. Just because someone else is successful doing things one way, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. There are a hundred ways to brush your teeth - up, down, left, right; down, left, right, up. You get the picture. At the end of the session, guess what doesn’t change? The fact that the teeth are brushed. Find what works for you. And be willing to share that. Someone else may find success with your methods.
Let go of definitions. Only you know what success is. Don’t get caught up in letting others tell you how far you must go, how happy you must be, how much money you should make. Each of us has a level of delight that only we are aware of. Reveling in knowing you can achieve that level, no matter where it stands, is freedom.
Lastly, know your limits. Reinventing, becoming something new and better, takes hard work and dedication. Stay passionate so you don’t burn out. Remember to take breaks and allow room to breathe. Encourage personal growth through continued education. Don’t push so hard, however, that you lose momentum. Take things one step at a time.
The Forest Image has been a staple in the greater Lake Houston area for over a quarter century. We love the community and appreciate your feedback in our content. Please email us with your comments.
