In my previous post, I pointed out how movie life chapters have definitive start and stop points.
Forrest Gump’s life chapters had very little overlap. One life chapter ended, and a new life chapter started. Within the confines of a two-hour and twenty-two-minute movie, we don’t get to see the overlap that occurs as one of Forrest’s new life chapters starts and a past life chapter winds down.
In real life, overlap between life chapters exists.
In my own life, completing my move from California to Montana took more than a year. During this time, I had activities going on in both states.
The transition from entertainer to speaker took more than four years.
Getting rid of real estate during the real estate crash took almost three years.
As I was in the middle of these life chapter transitions, I sometimes felt frustrated that the transitions didn’t occur quickly enough. I wanted one chapter to be over – I wanted to concentrate 100% on the future. But stuff needed to be cleaned up, details had to be put to bed, and the previous chapter needed to be completed with integrity.
But more and more, I consider whether the movie version of transitioning from life chapter to life chapter is possible. Are we capable of changing life directions very quickly? And can one life chapter be completed both expediently and with integrity?
It seems to me that …
All it takes is a will to change.
All it takes is a decision on your part.
All it takes is making a choice.
All it takes is a declaration of a new direction.
Once your new intentions are declared … everything changes.
Future intentions and actions can be focused toward the new life chapter.
Concluding actions can be focused toward quickly completing the previous life chapter.
Obviously, the length of time it takes to complete this transition will be proportional to the magnitude of the change.
I say, let’s try to live more gump-like lives.
Let’s make our own life chapter transitions quickly.
Forrest Gump continues to inspire me and motivate change in my own life.
Am I crazy?
Is it possible?
Are you willing to be more gump-like in your next life chapter transition?
Next Blog Title: Declarations
Next Blog Date: October 4, 2012