While hiking through the coastal old growth redwoods, I witnessed rebirth everywhere. Out of the demise of a majestic fallen tree, its corpse hosted hundreds, if not thousands of life forms including fledgling redwoods. Called nurse trees, these fallen giants created life from their death.

 

The same is true for us in a metaphorical sense. To grow, we need to welcome “little deaths”: transitions that take us from one state of being, mindset or journey to a fresh one. It could mean being open to releasing:

  • a draining relationship,
  • a belief system that no longer serves you,
  • thought patterns that are keeping you down or
  • behaviors that prevent you from reaching your full potential.

Death is not something to fear, but to embrace.

Death is change. And, change can be uncomfortable. But it’s never an end. Dying is a transition, a fresh beginning rife with opportunities. We only need to be open to what’s coming and know that God’s looking out for our best interests.

When we let go of what doesn’t serve our highest purpose, we make room for new people, thoughts and activities that can propel us forward. In this act, we welcome joyful beginnings that nurture our intuitive and spiritual growth.

Many times, we elect to stick with what’s familiar, even though it’s far from ideal, because we know what to expect. But when we clench the old, we deny ourselves something more fulfilling by being closed to the idea of rebirth.

Let’s free ourselves of the junk—bad habits, fear and the outdated—that won’t evolve with us. Once we’re open to change (those little deaths), we can welcome a new era in our lives.