Haunted by the Other Half
Photo courtesy of Unsplash by Julian Hochgesang
“When you discover you’ve been leading only half a life,
the other half is going to haunt you until you develop it.”
- Rev. Phillips BrooksOkay. This is clearly one of those quotes where once you read it, you can’t ever unread it.
And what exactly are you supposed to do about it once that hits?
Before I go on, can we take a moment to talk about regrets?
Because I don’t know how to have this discussion without recalling some of the conversations I had as a hospice social worker.
“Do you have any unfinished business?” I’d ask as I perched on the edge of a hospital bed.
The reply would determine how I’d spend the next day, week, or months. I’d arrange for family visits or help record a memoir. I’d sit with tears dripping as I listened to cherished memories.
I was in awe as they were recounted: Moments of courage. Moments of grief. Moments of regret. Moments of breaking the rules and charting a new trail.
So my question becomes this: How do you even KNOW when you’re living half a life?
Here are some possible clues that your unlived half-life is knocking on your door:
· You wake up every day and say to yourself, “This can’t be all there is.”
· You get panicky at the thought of doing the same thing over and over, rinse and repeat.
· You can’t remember the last time you tested the outer dimensions of your comfort zone.
If this feels familiar to you, we can all learn a lesson from those who’ve gone before us.
But there’s something really important that you need to know:
Anytime you evaluate your life satisfaction, that’s often a cue for your Inner Critic to remind you of all the reasons why you aren’t measuring up.
That’s why the role of self-compassion is so crucial.
When you switch from beating yourself up to getting curious about making life changes, you free up a lot of trapped energy,
Once you connect with a powerful Inner Ally who’s rooting for you without a trace of judgment, there’s no more inner glass ceiling holding you back.
And your starting point?
Right here and right now.
What’s your No Regrets Life? Let’s toast to your discovery.