One of the things I think holds people back from improving their lives can be summed up in a word: commitment. We need to make a commitment to move forward, and that can be uncomfortable.
For some, commitment can feel heavy, like a snowsuit complete with a hat, scarf, mittens, and an extra pair of thermal pants.
Can you remember how that feels? Once you decide to layer up in all of your outdoor gear for a day in the snow, there is no turning back. No bathroom-breaks, no coming in to warm up after a few minutes. With all those layers on you are weighted down, and it’s a done deal.
For others, commitment is can feel intimidating. When you have to commit to a decision, placing an order for something that you want with all of your heart but can’t clearly see the possibilities and the outcome, it can be unsettling.
I know I will sometimes hesitate and shy away from committing to the big decisions (small ones, too). It feels safer and more comfortable to skirt the edges until I feel I have all the facts. In the past I tried to explore getting what I wanted first, without being committed, thinking that once I had it all figured out, then I could take the plunge.
Only, that didn’t really work. Something more urgent or exciting always came up, and my attention would quickly shift, leaving the thing I had longed for behind in the dust, never to be achieved.
Boy, did I have it wrong. Refusing to be committed is exactly why I wasn’t getting the things that I truly desired. The universe works like a delivery system. In order for us to receive a gift, we have to place an order.
Commitment changed the game. I now know it is not a burden to be committed, but instead it is the gateway to the freedom and possibility that I crave. Once I commit to moving forward, new doors open everywhere. I consciously placed my order and could then enjoy the follow through. I also realized I could change my mind if I found that the direction wasn’t quite right. No big deal.
Committing to changing the game opens up lots of options.
My new husband spent years with hearing loss, struggling to hear his family and friends and having difficulty in social situations. After his wife passed away, he faced trying dating and maybe not hearing what was said at the table. He didn’t want to commit to buying amplification, but he really wanted to see if it would help.
We offered him a device on a trial basis so he could hear how it worked with his lifestyle, in his favorite places. It made all the difference. Once he had a chance to try it, he felt comfortable making the commitment to better hearing. That decision changed both our lives.
Things happen in life because we are committed enough to create them and allow them to be created for us. When we place our order, the universe can go to work. What is holding you back from moving forward in life?
“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.” — W.H. Murray