“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis

A difficult reality to face is that all experiences, no matter how much you care about them, come to an end. Endings can cause sadness and pain with periods of grief, mourning and despair. It’s sad when a part of your life ends no matter what the situation was. However, endings don’t enter alone. They are like a mother going through hard labor giving birth to a beautiful, new life. This newborn life is called Beginnings. Always followed by an ending, a beginning fills you with excitement, wonder and adventure. Where a road ends, a new road begins. When a door closes, a new door appears. But to welcome the new, you must let go of what you know.

A few months ago, a vital part of my life ended. My marriage of seven years fell apart resulting in a painful divorce. It was a very hard and challenging time. Break-ups bring up many emotions making it difficult to let go. But now, I am beginning a new journey moving forward with joy. Even though it’s a difficult time, I’m being transformed for deeper soul growth and awakening. Many different types of endings, even the tough ones, open the space to direct your life to a more positive path.

• When you begin the joy of starting a family, you say good-bye to a carefree lifestyle
• When you challenge yourself with a new job, you leave the security of a familiar work environment
• When you move to a vibrant, new city, you say good-bye to your friends and neighbors

Beginnings and endings represent the reality of impermanence. Nothing stays the same and everything changes. Every moment is a new start while something ends in every moment. Accepting that everything changes opens up your ability to learn, releases tension and connects to your highest self.

It seems that life moves in a linear fashion starting from birth to childhood, adolescence to teenager, and adulthood to death. But really, I think life moves in circular, spiral fashion that goes forward and outward composed of various beginnings and endings. They occur in small and large amounts all having an impact on your life. Eventually as you grow and learn, your spiral pattern becomes wider flowing more in sync with God. Each life event is connected between the beginning and end points creating a multi-faceted experience. You live in constant movement keeping in flow with the universe while learning valuable lessons along the way.

So how do you embrace this reality? How do you learn from your experiences and grow from them? It’s important to fully feel the emotions resulting from change, keep an open mind throughout the process, and give yourself a break when needed.

Feel the Emotions
It’s natural to feel sad at the end of every story. In order to heal and move on, you must grieve this loss and process your emotions. If you stuff down, ignore or numb your feelings, they will manifest later in more destructive ways. Allow the emotions to move through the body to release the pain. This gives you the clarity and energy to bring joy and happiness in your life as you begin your new journey.

It’s ok to cry or call a friend. Take the time to feel. In order to get over something, you have to walk through the pain and hurt. Eventually, you will arrive at the other side with your new beginning waiting for you on the horizon.

Open Your Mind
Instead of getting down on yourself, try opening your mind to a bigger box of thinking. Everything ends for a reason. It could lead to a better job, meeting someone new or discovering a hobby that would not have happened unless something else in your life ended. In order for new things to occur, space must open up for it to emerge. This adventure might serve you better in the long run.

Give Yourself a Break
Allow yourself time to heal. Endings usually bring sadness and anxieties that makes you feel exhausted. Don’t be afraid or feel guilty for going to bed early or bringing home take-out instead of cooking dinner. This is the time to give yourself rest so you have the energy to start your new beginning.

Be open and release the tension of wanting to control the future. Yes, beginnings are scary, so act courageous and let go of your fears of what may or may not happen. Entering into the unknown brings fear of failure, but no matter what happens, you will learn and grow into a stronger person. This is your time. Get excited about your new journey!

Endings are tough and painful but lead to exciting, new beginnings. If you embrace it, you will grow and expand your circle of wisdom connecting to your highest self. It’s ok to grieve and feel sad when something you care about ends. But a new dawn will rise with an adventure waiting for you to explore. Be courageous and keep an open mind for what the future may hold. Believe in yourself and in your new life. Take what you have learned from your past and bring it with you on your journey. A beautiful beginning will arise from the ashes to create a life better than you could ever imagine it to be.