My Old Sweater

My old sweater. When I finished my day I went home and changed into my sweats & my sweater. This sweater was 16 years old. It was ratty and worn; it had lost all it's shape. It was a hand-me-down from an aunt. To be frank, it was ugly! But ... it was the most comfortable piece of clothing I owned.

Each and every day, when I'd leave my house, I'd leave that sweater at home. I'd leave it at home and know that when I got home that night, I was going back to comfort.

We each have a part of our life that is comfortable to us, our comfort zone. But what happens when the 'comfort zone' no longer serves a purpose or changes? What do you do then?

One day I came home to find that my cat decided to use my sweater as a scratching post. He had desimated my favorite piece of clothing. I no longer had my sweater to comfort me when I was down in the dumps; it wasn't there for me to curl up into when I had a fever. It was gone! "What will I wear now?" was the thought that ran through my head.

Like anything in life I adapted. Although I was forced into this change it was still there. I had to do something. I could see two options for my sweater. I could accept that it was gone or I could reject that it was gone. If I accepted that it was gone I would say goodbye to an old friend (in my mind that is what it was) and try to find another article of clothing that brought me comfort. If I rejected that it was gone I could attempt to sew it back together and try to make it what it had once been.

With a heavy heart I decided that I would accept things the way they were and put that old, ratty, tattered, UGLY sweater into the garbage. Then I went on a hunt for another sweater that would comfort me.

When in your life have you had a comfort zone that was no longer there, had changed or no longer served a purpose? Have you recently divorced? Have you been down-sized and had to find a new job? Has technology forced you to make changes that you're not ready for?

Whatever your comfort zone is; they change. When this change comes you have two options, understand that it is what it is and adapt, or fight the change with all you have.

Taking life as it comes can sometimes be very difficult. For me, having to find a new sweater was very difficult. Each sweater that I tried on had a flaw; it was too long, it was to short; it wasn't soft enough; it was too soft; the colour wasn't right ... you understand. Each sweater I tried on I compared to my old sweater. Nothing was good enough, it wasn't the same. I really hadn't accepted the fact that my sweater was gone.

Eventually I found another sweater. It took time and I had to 'give in'. I had to quit comparing each sweater with my old one. I had to accept this new sweater for it's unique merits. Nothing could compare to my old sweater, so why was I trying?

When in your life have you gone through this? How have you fought against something that was inevitable? How did it make you feel? Did you put so much energy into fighting against it that you were drained at the end of the day? Did you try to change it back and realize it wasn't the same? What was the final outcome?

Through life we find that everything changes. If we fight these changes we drain ourselves of our energy. If we simply accept these changes we have more energy to focus on making the necessary changes within.

Take a look back and see when in your life you have gone through something similar. What actions did you take? How did it make you feel? Did your actions empower you or drain you of your energy? Did you like how you felt?

Reflecting on your past can help you learn and improve your future.

Thought for the day.

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

~ Alan Cohen