Creating your new world right where you are

Are you bored with your life, need to get away, start anew, or, don't know what you want? Almost everyone has felt this way at one time or another. Thinking those thoughts isn't a bad thing, but what we do with them can be. We can act irrationally and make mistakes that may impact our world for many years, or for a lifetime. We are particularly vulnerable if we have lost a spouse or, another, that's been a source of comfort and confidence for us.

Our world, as we know it, can become turned upside down in our estimation. We can retire, lose our treasured possessions, or be recovering from a life-changing trauma. We can feel useless, unimportant, and stuck in a rut. Although all these things can be jolting and may shake us up, they are external happenings. When we stake our happiness on outside stimuli, we're bound to fail at enjoying a peaceful existence. A world that depends on what's "out there" will never satisfy us. What shaky ground will lie beneath our feet! What a scary foundation on which to base our happiness and sense of well-being!

So how do we establish a world that's to our liking without making irreparable mistakes that shake our stability and happiness later on? To begin with, knowing that contentment is within our power is a crucial step. Then everything can change. Don't think yourself as a victim. According to her article, "7 secret habits of very content and satisfied people," author Krista says, "You don't necessarily need anything outside to attain contentment and satisfaction. You don't have to have that new car or more money, and you certainly don't need someone else to make you feel a certain way. Once you realize this, your world will open up. You can become content with your life without spending or relying on others." (dailymotivation.site) What a sense of peace and comfort we can enjoy by realizing and believing this! Although having particular possessions and people in our lives certainly enriches it, we may have to exist, eventually, without either -- so remember that only you are responsible for your happiness.

Often we feel that we need to move from our present house into another. "That will ease my boredom," we sometimes say. We may think that moving to another part of the country will suffice. If that option is all that's open, go for it -- but before we act, we need to dig deep into our psyche and search out the why. Will life be any different at another location? Perhaps we can remedy our situation right where we are now. It may sound trite or silly, but changing your furniture around or painting a room in your present home, may satisfy your need for change. Sometimes, we simply don't want to move out of our recliner and try to make something else happen. We say, "It's too late, I've already done it all, there's nothing more I can do about my life." Well, I can tell you, through experience, that there's always something you can do to make a less than comfortable situation into a more palatable one.

My husband, since his retirement, has become interested in watching the birds, outside in our feeders. We have hummingbird and regular bird feeders, and Don keeps them filled. He's busy and wonders how he had the time to work at a daily job filled with deadlines, as he, now experiences chosen activities.

Frequently, when our present lives become humdrum, it's a signal and a chance to take a new direction and get to know ourselves better. We will be surprised. "Life begins to happen, for you, instead of happening, to you. We have more power than we think, but we have to use it," (Krista).

A feeling of boredom and frustration with our lives can happen, and does, within any stage. Look for the hidden meaning. Remember that "pain is only temporary, but the realization that we gave up, lasts a lifetime." (Krista) Rather than lament what used to be, Scripture tells us to "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland?" (Isaiah 43: 18-19)