Out with the Old and in with the New

by Ann Leach

I have a one-person office that now has two desk chairs!

Office Max was having a Labor Day sale on office furniture so I went shopping. I turned the corner of aisle 4 and there it was: a chrome and oh-so-pretty white fake leather manager's chair. Ooooh, it looked inviting. I took a seat and felt my posture straighten and my management skills improve. Really!

I wheeled this find to the counter and paid, loaded it into the car's trunk and headed home.

Sitting at my desk was my old chair. It still rolls around pretty well. It has a comfortable seat that has been well worn for about eighteen years now. But compared to this shiny symbol of management, it was less-than-desirable. Out it goes!

Except that I started thinking about this old chair and when I got it, how long I've had it and all that's happened in my life during that time; the death of my Molly, who loved curling up in this chair, starting my coaching business and I wrote Goal Sisters sitting on this piece of furniture, so yes, this chair has literally supported me through a lot.

Do you think its nuts to grieve an inanimate object or a place? I don't. And I bet anyone who has ever moved to a new town or was forced to transfer to a new school, would agree.

So here's my plan to release my old chair; it may help you to release an item that has been dear to you:

Give it some time. I'm just letting my old chair hang around the garage for a bit, as I get used to the idea of keep this new one around.

Honor its service. I make a mental list of all the milestones and fun times I have had with the object or place I am leaving. You can do the same regarding your object or place.

Give Thanks. I am grateful I have had this chair for so long and that it has served me well.

Recycle. I shared with a friend that I got a new chair and he immediately asked, "what are you going to do with the old one?"  He is excited to receive his own new one! Pass your items on to others who will be just as pleased.

Look ahead. I really do feel that this new chair will help me to the next level of growth in my business. That's exciting! What will your new bed, car, bookshelf or house provide for you?

I hope you'll use these tips to release those things that no longer serve you as they used to.

Ann Leach is a life coach, freelance writer, publisher of In the Flow, a bi-monthly publications that supports, nudges and informs families and professional caregivers. She is the director of Life Preservers: a global grief support community.  She is a certified grief recovery specialist and founded the Cancer Support Network when living in Illinois, where she facilitated support groups for those living with cancer and AIDS and their caregivers.

As an only child, Ann lost both parents to cancer and, by the time she was twelve years of age, had lost every mail in her life through death.  Ann's experiences with loss have shaped her approach to life, causing her to celebrate each moment and explore what's truly important for her life.  She started Life Preserv ers as a way to support others doing the same and to have a global impact on how our current society views death and the emotions associated with it.

You can learn more about Ann and her organization's outreach by visiting www.life-preservers.org