When Burning Bridges is Not So Bad
Maybe Bridge Burning Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
By Janice Chrysler
No doubt you have heard the expression “don’t burn any bridges behind you”. When was the last time you heard or used that saying? Quite often it refers to situations where you are leaving a job, organization or service. You don’t want to leave on a bad note as you never know, you may want that person to help you again, ask for the old job back or even move back into a relationship. Perhaps you have no desire or plan on returning but we want those left behind to think well of us. After all, more harm can come to you through gossip and negative talk behind you back; better to leave them smiling and even better with a tear in their eye as you walk out the door, right?
Then again, maybe you would do well to take a moment to remember why you are crossing that bridge in the first place. Did you finally get up the nerve to step out of your comfort zone? Pluck up the courage to start a new path that meant striking off on your own in a totally new direction? Perhaps you have learned to follow your intuition and discovered things your friends and family cannot understand. What are you leaving behind?
What if the expression were, “burn the bridges behind you; it will prevent you returning to a place you should never have been in the first place.” ? It takes on a whole new meaning. So often, even after you get up the nerve to leave a bad situation, you find yourself either going back or reverting to bad habits as it is easier than creating a new way of doing things. In times like this you need to grab yourself by the shoulders, pull yourself out of the slump you put yourself in, give a good shake and start again. Everyday brings an opportunity to start again, try something new, or give something another try. Your job is to learn from these experiences, recognize a pattern, and take responsibility for making the changes you need in your life. After all, your health, wealth and over all happiness starts within and no one knows that place better than you do. If you feel like no one understands you, then maybe you need to ask yourself what you think of yourself, the situation, what is your goal and plan? If you don’t understand yourself, it makes it very difficult to realize when there is someone or opportunities in your life that could help you. You need to be willing to take a chance and admitting when something isn’t working any more….and just maybe it never did.
Getting up the courage to cross the bridge to change is usually harder than the crossing itself. You would likely do well to set fire to those bridges as you are crossing them to keep yourself moving ahead! Nothing like a flame licking your backside to get you motivated! Otherwise, if you take your time crossing, you could talk yourself into turning around and going back. When this happens, you will feel regret of not knowing what could have been. It is better to take the chance, live the experience, and learn a life lesson. At least there will be a sense of having done something, anything in creating the type of life you want.
By sitting around playing the waiting game for the right people, events and opportunities to just happen, you are living in the past and setting yourself up for disappointment in the future, as you are placing all your happiness in the hands of someone or something else. This is time spent in limbo as you wait, wait, and wait some more. Instead you could be thinking, doing, doing and doing some more…anything at all. Whether it is in taking hold of your health through ways you feel comfortable with, asking questions, taking classes, and most importantly taking time every day to go within and discover the wonderful soul that resides there, you have the strength that will help you not only cross those bridges you need to but the tools you need to build a bridge when there is none in sight. You do not need to wait for the timing to be just right as things happen in Universal time when they are right for us. Meeting the right person, going to the right place, taking the right class, buying the right food, taking the right path all at the right time is never coincidence but life’s wonderful synchronicities…enjoy.
What are you waiting for? Go find a bridge that will be your escape for something or someone you need to leave behind. Don’t be afraid to set fire to this bridge because if it leads to a bad place for you, no one else needs to go there. Can’t find the bridge? Then it is time for you to pull our your tool chest and get to work. Part of your healing could be to create a bridge for yourself and others to cross.
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About the Author
Janice Chrysler is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master and Spiritual Coach. Janice the teachings of Reiki, hypnosis and techniques of meditation to lead workshops, private sessions and seminars aimed at helping others to discover the mind-body-spirit connection. Learn more by visiting: www.mindfuljourney.ca
