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KEEP IN MIND THAT AS
ONE DOOR CLOSES,
ANOTHER ONE OPENS

One of the greatest sources of stress, sadness, and frustration for many of us is when we feel that a door has closed, as if a chapter in our life is over. We can feel sadness, loss, grief, and, perhaps most of all, fear of the unknown.

Some of the most common instances of this source of stress are when you break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend or when you move to a new town. You sense that your life will never be the same, and fear that it won’t be as good. Similar feelings can come up when, for any number of reasons, you lose a friend or when you move on to a new school, leaving friends and memories behind. The same can be true when you complete something you’ve worked hard on and that you have enjoyed; it’s now over and the need, desire, or opportunity to continue no longer exists.

A comforting truth of life to keep in mind is that as one door closes, another one, by definition, opens in response. It doesn’t always seem that way immediately, but it’s helpful to know that it’s true. And embracing this understanding makes changes, transitions, even disappointments much easier to deal with.

It’s strange to think about, but had your parents not broken up with all of their previous “serious” relationships with the opposite sex, you wouldn’t be here today! By breaking off previous relationships, it opened the door for your parents to be together—and for you to be born.

In the same way, you probably had friends who moved, went on to new schools, or decided not be your friend anymore. And, painful as it may have been, the act of them no longer being such an important part of your life created the time, need, and energy for you to create new, special friendships. Likewise, if you don’t make the cheerleading squad, football team, or anything else you were hoping for, it paves the way for other doors to open. This is not a “pretend everything’s all right” philosophy, but rather an honest look at the way life really works. The more you reflect on this idea, the more sense it will make.

This philosophy has helped me through many periods of transition as well as many disappointments in my life, helping me find peace. As a teen, I was a champion tennis player, having practiced hard, almost every day, for many years. When it was time to give it up and move on to something else, the knowledge that new doors would open made the changes in my life much easier to embrace. Rather than regret or sadness, my primary feelings were enthusiasm for what might be next. Had I continued my tennis career rather than following my heart, I doubt I would be writing this book today.

I encourage you to give this idea some serious thought. Think back to how many times in your life you’ve ended something, only to begin something even better—and how necessary it is that things come to an end. The trick is to use this same philosophy in the midst of a transition. If you do, you’ll find yourself moving through your life with far less struggle.