“Knowing when to walk away is wisdom. Being willing is courage. Walking away with your head held high is dignity.”
See if this rings true for you or someone else you might know. There have been times in my life when I have second-guessed my decisions to walk away from a decision, a job opportunity, and a relationship. Case in point: I have been a talk radio host for the past six and a half years. Last July, I came down with walking pneumonia and had to go from drive to park in a nano second (doctor’s orders). So all of the summer month’s interviews were archived. What I learned was the break was well needed, emotionally and mentally.
I firmly believe the universe brings us what we need at any given time. For me: time to think, process, and gain perspective.
Why is it still hard to walk away?
First thing that comes to mind is GUILT. Guilt can hold us hostage; we stay stuck in cement not moving forward because we believe we “owe” it to others to stick with it. I felt this especially with this comment: “Sallie, you can’t go. You have so many followers, and they depend on you.” Ugh, “depend on you”—that hit my heart hard. Was I supposed to continue with the radio because people “depended” on me? Wow, would their lives fall apart if I no longer supplied guests and words of empowerment? In all honesty, they may miss me, and some may look elsewhere. And that’s OK. (Let me add that this comment wore on me for weeks.) But what is the truth here? If I was not true to myself and didn’t believe this was emotionally the right move for me, I would be living my life for others and not living it for me! To live in a positive state of mind, we emotionally need to get rid of the emotional clutter, and one is GUILT.
What else came into play for me: caring for a sick family member and time—mental clutter, the long list of To-Dos, which we all have. For me, the preparation needed to read the books, research guests, delegate administrative tasks, and the underlying uneasiness to move on was becoming omnipresent. (Tip: when you feel as if you are between a rock and a hard place, remember you have choices. One POSITIVE solution is to make two columns on a sheet of paper. List all the pros versus cons. This brings about real clarity as to what your action plan may be.)
A final thought: If after your decision you feel lighter and more at ease, you have indeed made the right decision. “Knowing when to walk away takes wisdom, being willing to walk away” takes courage (especially when others are saying otherwise), and being your authentic self is living in positivity, so hold your head up high and make a move. My mantra: “start where you stand and go forward one step at a time.”
One never knows what doors will open when another is closed.
So go out there and explore a different path, be curious, go out of your comfort zone, do something crazy, be silly, and laugh more. For one thing is guaranteed…the sun will come up the next day.
As featured on ABC, NBC, CNN, and FOX News affiliates across the country, Sallie Felton is a life coach, international radio talk show host, author, facilitator, and inspirational speaker. For more on Sallie, please visit her WEBSITE or follow her on TWITTER.
