There’s a word I use quite often regarding change. That word is “Outgrowing.” When you truly change, you outgrow something, just like you outgrew your childhood clothing. Once you outgrow something, it doesn’t fit anymore.

How do you know you are at the threshold of change? My experience is there is a tipping point with all sorts of signposts and signals present indicating we’re about to change.

Best as I can tell, there is a bit of nagging going on beforehand, not the yammering in your head that’s ladened with invectives like “you lazy slob” or some other demeaning dig, but more of a gentle nudge or a polite push.

You keep getting reminders from out of the blue that it’s time to wear something new.

It goes past “I should do this or that.” It’s more like a temptation than it is a beration. (Is “beration” a word)?

The interesting thing for me is that I don’t really know when the actual transitions happened; I only know they did. I do remember the reminders and feeling they were different than the mental pummelings I received, and I remember sensing that I was about to outgrow something.

Have you ever had the feeling that you were on the right track but you weren’t there yet? That best describes the feeling for me of being at the threshold of change.

There is a catalyst that can be used to arrive at the threshold quicker. It’s a willingness to allow these reminders to visit as often as they like. When you open yourself to the idea of change, you get more invitations.

When you force yourself into change mode, you’re likely to find that it’s temporary, kinda’ like the diet you go on before the “big” event – wedding, class reunion, final weigh-in on “The Biggest Loser.”

When you invite change in rather than letting it take you hostage, it’s a much smoother transition from old to new.

I wish I could tell you how and when change happens; that’s still a mystery to me. I do know there is a threshold and it seems the more willingness you put out, the more invitations that come in. Odds are that one of them will be tempting enough to R.S.V.P. to and you’ll cross over the threshold.

All the best,

John