As my vacation winds to a close, I wanted to talk a moment about the boxes of life and how we can use them as stepping stones and not enclosures.

One of my favorite quotes from Sarah Ban Breathnach isn’t exactly a quote, since I paraphrase it in my memory, it’s more of a concept.  She points out that we can look at where we are in life at the moment as “this is where I am right now, not this is where I must stay for ever and ever.  This is my body right now, or this is the state of my home right now.  This is the state of my writing right now.”  Adding the concept of “right now” changes it to a fact from an accusation and gives us back the power to change it.

When we recognize that we are living the results of our decisions, this knowledge at first can seem daunting because we realize, jeez, I’m living the result of my decisions.  But then we realize that we can live today as the result of today’s decisions and that today, we can make different decisions than we have in the past.

What one thing could you change today that would make a meaningful impact on your week?  Would it be to write in your journal?  Take a walk?  Join a gym?  Write a gratitude list of all the things for which you are grateful?

It doesn’t take a lot to change the tide.  If we make small steps that are in the direction we wish to go, then we begin the journey toward our dreams.  Take heart, take a risk, and take responsibility.  It’s your life.  What will you do with it?