Taking a Leap of Faith in the Darkness

By Glenn Hattem · June 22, 2009 · Filed in Interviews with Leading Experts, State of Mind

“There once was a woman who lived in hell, she could leave at any time. But she never did! She knew the names of the streets.”~ Elizabeth Ellis

This week I met with Nancy Stubbs, a Certified Breath & Conscious Relationship Coach from the Boulder Center for Conscious Living. We talked about an important issue that plagues most of us at some point in our lives, and that is dealing with the fear of the unknown. Namely, how that fear can keep us from making changes in our lives, even those we know need to occur. This is what Nancy had to say…

“In an Indiana Jones movie from several years ago, Indie stands at the edge of an enormous chasm. He needs to get to the other side to save his father’s life. Someone has given him a map, assuring him there is a path across the dangerous expanse, but he most certainly cannot see it. He looks at the map one more time. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, puts out his foot, and trustingly takes a step, one that surely looks like it will cause him to plummet to his death. Instead, his foot miraculously lands on something solid, though it is still unseen. He takes another step, and then another. He discovers that the mapmaker had been correct and that the path had been there all the while. By trusting the map and its maker, he successfully (and safely) reached the other side and was able to continue his adventure.

Fear of the unknown can and does often paralyze us from making a necessary change in our relationships, our health, our finances, or our careers. Though we might be motivated by something we can only imagine, if we cannot see it, we doubt that it can happen. That next move, the Indiana Jones move, of trusting ourselves as well as those who have gone before us (the mapmakers of transformation, if you will) requires a conscious commitment of seemingly epic proportions. So epic, in fact, the reasons for not changing appear safer, more manageable, and, often, very justifiable!

Here are some favorites excuses for stopping yourself upon the precipice of change:

Change will be expensive.
There’s no time left in my day to initiate a change.
I’ll have work hard, and it will be messy.
My life now is familiar and manageable.

Here’s what I know to be true (having given it a go many times over): When one consciously commits to a new and desired outcome, even if the “how” is still unknown, the process of positive change has already begun. Creating a connected, happy relationship with your partner, losing 10 or even 100 pounds, and having a meaningful and enjoyable career ALL begin with a heartfelt, conscious commitment to change. THIS is the Indiana Jones move that each one of us can take. I’ve seen it happen over and over in my own life and in the lives of my clients, the “how” appears, much like the stone path over the chasm for Indiana Jones. Sometimes it has been sudden clarity of the next step and, other times, simply trusting an experienced guide and fellow traveler on the same path made the difference. Here’s the payoff for taking that first step: once we make a conscious choice, a conscious commitment, we can truly get on with the adventure of our life.”

So what are YOU waiting for? It’s time to make that jump! Just like Indy, all you need is a little faith.