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"Are
You Stuck in the Past?"
By Kathy Gates, Professional Life Coach
Word Count 617
How often do you find yourself still dealing with things that you half-way finished? Not me, you say.
Ok, what about that big pile of magazines you ordered but never have time to read? Did you start a high protein diet, but now eat carbs and just feel guilty? (oh come on…you know who you are!) What about that bathroom remodel that still needs the baseboards installed?
Taxes need filing? Checkbook need balancing? Ever have a conversation play over and over in your head, wishing you would have said something you didn’t? Still paying on credit cards for things you bought months (years?) ago? Are you clinging to an idea about what you parents or siblings “ought” to be?
What about the money you borrowed from your sister, but haven’t repaid? The birthday/wedding/baby gift you still haven’t bought and sent? The apology you owe a friend? Are you still angry over Aunt Suzie’s remarks from last Christmas? Are you perpetuating a lie that seems to be right on your heels most days?
You realize that I could go on for days with this. ALL these things tie you to the PAST.
The recent World Series brought to our attention the history that surrounds Yankee Stadium. In an interview, one of the pitchers mentioned that although the aura of past extraordinary players was strong, he was not pitching to Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. If he wanted to WIN, he had to deal with today’s lineup.
If you want to WIN, you too must deal with today’s lineup.
It’s no wonder that you feel like you get up every morning wearing concrete shoes. Not only do you have to deal with what the day brings, but you are carrying a backpack FULL of yesterday’s leftovers. And every day that you allow more and more to accumulate, it gets heavier and heavier.
Today, I would like you to think about how much easier your life would be if you made just one commitment in your life: “To Finish Whatever You Started”.
It's just three simple steps:
1. Make a new commitment that any NEW thing you start will be completely finished, either by declaring an end to it, doing it yourself, or delegating the job to someone else.
2. Start to clean up FULLY, one at a time, any thing that happened in the past that still nags at you. Be patient, but persistent. Use the list above as examples, but carefully consider things from your own life. You can usually identify these things by how they make you feel…sad, mad, guilt, shame, etc. As you go along, remember to set up a new ideal for living - A way of living that Finishes What You Started. For example, if you’re still paying on LAST Christmas, determine that you will handle this Christmas in a different way.
3. Seek help when you need it, instead of just letting it drag you down.
FREE yourself from the past.
Be ready to react to today’s opportunities, not the ghosts of time gone
by. Get yourself some nice leather
shoes instead of those ugly concrete ones. Feel
how much lighter and easier you can move through your day without all those
rocks in your backpack.
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Resource Information:
Life Coach Kathy Gates
specializes in helping people who are ready to create a simpler, less stressful,
more joyful and meaningful lifestyle. Visit www.reallifecoach.com
to learn more.