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3 Anxiety-Free Ways to Change
By Ed and Deb Shapiro
Oprah.com   |   April 09, 2010
Happy woman
Does the thought of change give you a knot in your stomach? Don't stress about it—welcome it with open arms! Find out why doing something different isn't just a part of life...it's a good thing.
Who you are now is not who you were last year, last week, yesterday, even a minute ago. Life never stands still, no matter what you do. Change is the very nature of existence—your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, ideas, even your relationships are as changeable as rain and sunshine, as night and day. But as much as change is inevitable, it is not always welcome or easy to deal with. It can upset your world and generate many conflicting feelings.

However, it is in those very moments when everything looks hopeless that you have a real chance to grow into something better; what the caterpillar calls the end of the world, you call a butterfly!

The journey to such transformation is smoother when you can step back from anger, fear or grief and take a breath, before emotion takes over. Then you can enable the issue to pass, because not even those feelings that seem so enormous, important or overwhelming stay the same. What is vital to you now will lose its relevance with time.

Knowing this means you can be more at ease with change. As thoughts come and go, as you watch emotions rise and fall like waves, as physical, emotional or mental pain is felt and then gone, you see how this coming and going applies to everything, even your breath. This sense of rhythm reminds you that, if you wait long enough, even the darkest of times will also pass.

3 reasons why change is good
Ed and Deb Shapiro
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." In other words, although life changes are inevitable, you can also initiate personal change so you can rise to the challenge and become a bigger and better person as a result. How do you do this? Recognize that change is inevitable; that there is always the potential for positive change in every moment; and that you have the option to stay grounded and in touch with your peace. All this is possible through meditation.

Here are three ways that change can uplift and transform you:

  • All Things are Coming and Going
    Everything that is happening now will change into something else; every thought and feeling, no matter how intense or dramatic, will one day be immaterial. Without change in yourself, you become stifled and stagnant. As nothing lasts forever, so you can appreciate every moment, fully and completely, knowing it will never happen again. Coming to a still place, gently breathe in and out, silently repeating: And this too shall pass.

  • Each Day Starts Anew
    Just as palm trees transform muddy rainwater into sweet coconut milk, so you have the opportunity to transform fear into courage, selfishness into kindness, and loss into fresh beginnings. Spring is here, with new life bursting forth, and in the same way, you too are capable of creating a new life for yourself in each and every moment. Life is about not having answers and taking chances, all without knowing what is going to happen next. Sitting quietly, breathing deeply and joyfully, silently repeat: I open my mind and heart to new possibilities.

    As author Maria Robinson said: "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

  • Being Peace
    As every wave has both a peak and a descent, the clue to transformation is being able to paddle in the dip so you are ready to ride the next crest. Meditation creates a space where times of pain, sadness, anger, fear, hurt, confusion, doubt and all of your other conflicting emotions can come and be known and gently released. It enables you to be present with whatever is, and to accept, honor and move with change. All kinds of thoughts may arise—or feelings, sensations and images. You watch, without denying, pushing away or holding on. You can comfortably rest in stillness, without any judgment or discrimination.

    Just as the breath comes in and out, so it is like the coming and going of all change.

    Breathe in and out gently, and watch the natural rhythm of your breath. Silently repeat: May I be easeful, may I be peaceful, may I flow with the changes. And enjoy each moment, as it is a precious gift!

Ed and Deb Shapiro are the authors of Be the Change, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. They are featured weekly contributors to Oprah.com, HuffingtonPost.com and Care2.com. Ed and Deb write Sprint's The Daily CHILLOUT inspirational text messages. They have three meditation CDs: Metta: Loving Kindness and Forgiveness, Samadhi: Breath Awareness and Insight and Yoga Nidra: Inner Conscious Relaxation. Deb is also the author of the best-selling book Your Body Speaks Your Mind, winner of the 2007 Visionary Book Award.

Keep Reading More from Ed and Deb Shapiro
How to get a self-esteem boost
How meditation can calm your mind
7 women transforming the world
Printed from Oprah.com on Saturday, May 26, 2012
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