What is our purpose but to ease the burdens of those around us? And then, if we’re able, try to grow and evolve and learn as much as possible from each day.

We move through time sometimes smoothly, other times with frequent bumps along the way, while attempting to maintain a sense of balance, and hoping to experience the good in life, the joy and love that is meant to lighten our load. Is this too tall of an order? Sometimes it seems so, but if you take a moment, you can evaluate how life is going, and then if you are brave enough, and know intrinsically that you have the power to shift your life, go ahead and make those changes. This deviation from the previously set course adjusts your trajectory in a whole new way.

There are so many people who think they are powerless over their destinies, feeling stuck in a familiar yet painful groove, that the thought of climbing out seems monumental. I am here to say it is possible to change your life. It takes energy to fight against entropy. (That’s the thing that makes everything fall into a heap, unless you exert energy to pick it up off the floor!) If you were aware of even a fraction of your personal power, it would amaze you! What will it take to know you are worth the effort?

Apathy enters all of our lives; it’s that feeling of listless acceptance of that which needs to change, but laced with the “I don’t care” attitude that changes nothing.

The news reports and current events prove that when we do nothing, hoping someone else will, both human and environmental injustice continues. It’s the same with your own life. How do you decide when it’s time to exert the energy needed to make a difference?

Today is the day. Begin: admit what’s not working and do something about it. You know what you need to do, what needs resolution, what needs to be started, who you need to reach out to, just begin, now. The greatest changes I have ever made in my life have directly followed a decision that the time had arrived. There is great power in decision, whereas indecision just breeds helplessness.

So back to purpose: what is it you want to do? What changes do you want to create?

Don’t let fear stand in your way. Shakespeare’s quote was framed just for me: “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” Have you ever stood in your own way and claimed you were blocked from moving along? Sometimes those sneaky thoughts creep into the forefront of our minds, “I can’t. It will never work. I might fail so I won’t even try.” This is the stuff that obstacles are made of.

Facing your fears, making decisions and moving in the direction of your ideals will give you the strength to continue on. There are usually no great or miraculous signs, just a feeling or an instinct inside of you that says, just do it, and when you heed that call, the wonders begin.

No one has said it better than Goethe: “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way… whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Today is the day; now, in this moment, what one thing can you do to make a difference? Let’s all take this challenge and change the world.

Amy Martin, APRN, RhD, CH, is the owner and director of Center of Healing Therapies in Waterford. She can be reached at (860) 443-0800 or amymartin@time4healing.com