“The only thing that is constant is change” is a famous quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Indeed, life is continually changing and evolving. This means that from time to time, things just stop existing. Losing a job, ending a marriage, or moving to another place are examples of changes that many people have experienced. We lose out on something important, a big plan collapses, or we are rejected by someone.
Another way of expressing this feeling of loss is that a door is being closed. However, the end of one thing is always the beginning of something new. We have the option to stay focused on what is not here anymore (the doors that have been closed) or become aware of the new avenues that unfold.
Think about a time in your life when someone rejected you, when you missed out on something important, or when a big plan collapsed. These would be points in your life when a door closed. Now think about something positive that happened after. What doors opened after?
- The door that closed on me was: ______________________
- The new door that opened for me was: _________________
Now, reflect upon your experiences and respond to the following questions…
- How long did it take you to realize that a new door was open?
- Was it easy or hard for you to realize that a new door was open?
- What prevented you from seeing the new open door?
- What can you do next time to recognize the new opportunity sooner?
- Which character strengths did you discover during this change?
- Is there more room for growth from these types of experiences?
- Is there a closed door that you still wish to see open?
Now think of all the people who have helped you open doors in the past. What did they do to help you? What could you do to help others?
