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Confidently Approach Life as a Second Chance

Second chances can be full of doubt or anxiety over identity and purpose. Committing to faith will help you find confidence and direction in every opportunity.

by Sabra Engelbrecht

Three Secrets to Fuel Your Second Chances

Life is full of second chances. Every day is literally a do-over. An opportunity to start fresh, let go of things that are holding you back, and try something new. Yet, how often are we successful at changing old habits? If you’re like me, behind every attempt at starting over is lingering doubt – a sense that this new way of being isn’t going to last forever. This anxiety overshadows progress and dampens the excitement of new beginnings. What can you do to ensure a successful re-start? Let me suggest a few ideas to fuel your second chance.

1. Surround yourself with support

A second chance provides the opportunity to step back and assess your support system. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we are designed to be in relationship with others. The relationships you build and cultivate directly impact your personal and spiritual growth, so being intentional about these relationships is important. The people around you should celebrate your successes, catch you on your slip-ups, and encourage you to keep going.

Identify the people you can turn to when things get tough. Sit down with them and tell them your story. Share a vision for the person you are becoming. Speak your new identity into being and ask them to help you stay true to your new self. This takes honesty and a lot of courage, but it may be the most important thing you do. Invest in these relationships – they will be your backstop when the motivation runs out and change seems impossible.

2. Honor the “New You”

No one likes it when their efforts go unnoticed or their hard work isn’t appreciated. So, honor yourself by celebrating successes, both big and small. Take the time to stop and reflect on how far you’ve come. Mark the days and commemorate milestones. Throw yourself a party! And while you’re at it, use these moments of celebration to remind yourself and others of the vision for who you are becoming.

Change often receives push back. Not everyone is going to be onboard with who you are becoming. Like we’ve said before, sometimes you have to dare to be weird. Honor the progress you’ve made by ignoring doubters and staying true to the version of you you want to become.

3. Have patience

Change doesn’t happen overnight, so be patient with yourself. Just like birth, growing into a new version of you is a messy and painful process. Becoming a new creation isn’t a one-time process, but rather something we are continually striving for every time we lean into the second chances life gives us. 

Remember, second chances are the Universe extending us grace. Accept this overflowing grace – recognize it as a gift. Simply say “thank you,” and recommit to that next level of fulfillment.. It’s only through faith and acceptance that we can allow change to take hold in us.

Finding a companion in change through faith

Accepting that change does not happen through your own power is the only way to ensure that your will does not falter. When slip-ups, mistakes, or failures happen, it is easy to be hard on yourself. Having faith that each setback is simply a part of your journey will relieve the pressure of minor detours. Finding your way back to your new path is a sign that your faith remains strong.

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