REJECT COMPROMISE  EMBRACE CHANGE

It is in our fast-paced, ever moving world, of quick decisions and back-to-back commitments, that we most value the constant of the familiar.  We can get very comfortable with our familiar.  Whether it is positive or not, we can be prone to balk at anything that threatens it.  It is this that leads us to compromise and complacency.

SOMETIMES THE FAMILIAR IS THE VERY THING WE SHOULD CHALLENGE      Life check here:

• Where in my life, have I accepted something that is inadequate, less than valuable, even detrimental?
• We excuse ourselves by accepting what is unhelpful in our lives, simply because it’s easier sometimes.
• Or perhaps it is hard to accept the consequences of rocking the boat.
• Often our reasoning takes the form of explanation to appease our better judgment.
• We sometimes feel that it would take much effort to toss out this particular compromise that we would rather work around it.

 Unfortunately, “I can’t anymore” is often when we’ve run out of options to cope.  

We didn’t see the trap coming, because we complacently accepted compromise.

 Accepting compromise is inadequate. Where am I living in compromise?  Change, they say, is here to stay. Why is it then, sometimes so very difficult? Change can turn our comfortable world upside down.  We can experience loss and even grief with change. Sometimes change, even in the small things, is very scary. Yet, most often, embracing the challenge to adjust a status quo can usher in amazing goodness.

Sometimes when we have to give something up, we are wary and suspicious of the unknown adjustments about to come upon us.  Yet, as we move forward and embrace the changes, we can experience a sense of empowerment and tenacity for success. 

This success allows us to move from the old familiar into a new, spacious place that elevates us up and out and equips us to lead lives of excellence and abundance. 

I had an insightful experience at the beginning of 2020 which illustrated this phenomenon profoundly for me.  For good reason, the municipality had to cut down a large shade tree on the verge of our property. At the time, there were several trucks on the scene, one of which had a small crane to hoist the tree feller up to the highest branches. The tree had provided shade and was an imposing and welcome site on arrival home. 

Yet, there were things I had come to tolerate:

1. It was home to many European Starlings, the number and noise of these particular birds were intrusive.
2. It dropped twigs constantly through the day.
3. Our front garden was a mix of shade and mottled sunlight.  Nothing much grew and thrived under the tree. 
4. The root system had cracked our garden walls – the tree dominated completely!

 The disadvantages of the tree were not something I entertained or even registered.  Because, after all, it was a mature, established presence, massive and imposing, and had taken so long to reach this point.

When the tree came down, I was distraught.  The property looked bare.  Neighbours around us commented that the road had ‘lost its character’. I felt cheated. I even felt blamed by a neighbour who asked me if I had a choice as to whether it was felled, or not.  I felt guilty of murdering a tree.  It was gone and I experienced grief.   

Yet, in the place of this loss, change was to come, and it was good.

Sunlight floods our front garden!  The now uninterrupted view of the mountain above us is spectacular!   Change has brought incredible new possibilities to our property.  Extraordinarily, a couple of months after the felling of the tree, with significant effort on our part, our front garden has been transformed. With much consistent and regular hard labour, we cleared the roots of the old tree. We were sometimes overwhelmed during this process, but pressed on. 

We have now planted a beautiful succulent and fynbos garden which is thriving because of the full sunlight this section of the garden gets.  Insects visit in abundance.  Our loss made way for something more beneficial to our lifestyle.  My morning cup of coffee has me sitting on the paving of the front porch, looking up at the mountain in the warmth of the morning sunshine. Complete and positive change has come after quite significant loss. I had no idea that changing something familiar and comfortable would usher in such positive new possibilities.

The change made space for something new, creative and beneficial.

In our lives, we don’t have to be sure of what is to come as we move forward. We just have to be sure not to tolerate complacency or compromise for too long.  Staying alert to what is good and beneficial in my life is essential. Change is good, change works in us to stretch us and grow us. Taking responsibility for my decisions, opinions and lifestyle choices is part of what is required for me to live well.

So often when we yield to change, or deliberately alter something mediocre in our lives, we are stunned and thrilled at the exceptional reward that emanates. We like who we are becoming as our character develops through the adjustments we make for the better. 

Let’s be strong and courageous, let’s take on the challenges and live our lives wholeheartedly.