Exit strategy
When one door closes, another opens.
Alexander Graham Bell said that.
What a smart guy. Yes, it is now a cliché and, worse yet, a bumpersticker — but that doesn’t make it any less true or any less of an important life lesson. Maybe it is not so much true as believing in it makes it true. Believing in the open door can be empowering. It can change the internal monolog from poor me…I am the victim of the slammed door to lucky me…I get to start a new adventure. And if you believe that and act on that belief, it becomes true. Ah, what a sweet bit of self-administered cognitive behavioral therapy.
But, ask yourself (as I did/ as I do): Why wait? Why wait until one door slams shut before exploring the other doors? Why wait for a bad thing to happen to propel you to make good things happen? Why wait to have change forced upon you when you can choose change? Isn’t it possible (and healthy and fun) to seek challenges rather than be compelled to make them, to move forward out of curiosity and imagination rather than disappointment and desperation, to venture forth not because a door closes behind you, but because you suddenly see so many doors ahead of you?
And…think about it… isn’t this the perfect time to start looking for and opening some of those doors, to walk on through, to see what’s there. First, though, you gotta slam that door behind you. Loudly. Bravely. Con brio.
Listen to the lovely, life-enhancing sound of the purposeful exit.
4 comments
Doors – hmm, I have so many images swirling around in my head. Open doors, half doors, screen doors, curtained doorways, revolving doors. So many of the choices are either/or and irrevocable, but so many others are one of many, turn around and go the other way, or go round and round the turnstile. I guess this isn’t a comment so much as a “hmmmmm…certainly something to think about…” Did you recently slam a door shut? Or throw one open? Today is a good day to go out a door and walk barefoot through the green grass. Join me?
Interesting. I think very few choices are irrevocable. And oh yes, door slammin’ and openin’ is happening.
So many empowering questions. I do believe we can choose change and be proactive. Change is inevitable, we are either changing by design or by default. Waiting until we no longer have an option and are forced to act is a a pretty crappy default. Changing your internal monologue works wonders, a friend taught me years ago to stop the incessant lines of “I have to” and substitute “I get to” or “I want to”. So simple, isn’t it?
I GET to…I love that. Challenge is a privilege.Change is a privilege.
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