Ground Hog Day, Is Change Possible?

Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day?  In case you haven’t, here is the plot.  Phil Connors, played by Bill Murray, is a TV weatherman.  Phil receives an assignment he hates, to cover the annual Punxsutawney, Pa. Groundhog Day festival.  He travels to Punxsutawney and finds himself repeating the same day over and over again.  Only after spending days doing what he wants, focusing on himself, and numerous suicide attempts, Phil uses his repeat days to re-examine his life and priorities.

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us at our counseling practice with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions at 434-808-2637.

Groundhog Day is a story about personal transformation.  It raises questions most of us have asked at some point in our life.  How do I get out of a rut?  How do I find meaning and fulfillment in my life?  Can I really change?  Let’s take a few minutes to look at how Phil found the answers to these questions.

Positive Thinking.  Phil literally transforms the worst day of his life into his best day, and the only thing that changes is his thinking.  The movie starts with Phil having a pessimistic attitude towards everything.  When covering the groundhog story, Rita, his producer, asks Phil why he is late.  Rita mentions that he is missing all the fun and points to the celebrating townspeople.  Phil replies, “Yeah… they are hicks, Rita.”  Phil’s ego keeps him from having fun.  By the end of the movie, Phil changes his thinking and finds enjoyment in even the small happenings of the day.  Phil figures out what William Shakespeare said, “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” 

Be Aware.  Phil learns how to be aware and pay attention to the people around him.  Phil starts the day worrying only about himself.  Phil uses his days to do what he thinks will make him happy.  Phil changes; he goes from spending his day worried only about himself to focusing on helping those around him.  When we really pay attention, we too can start to get out of our ruts and transform our lives day by day.

Accept You Can Change.  Phil survives his dilemma and finds purpose for his life only by changing himself.  Phil finally accepts that the day repeating itself is a blessing.  Have you accepted that only you can change your life?  Have you, like Phil, accepted that your old self and your old beliefs are no longer working?  Have you stopped blaming others?

Healthy Repetition.  Phil learns to use the repetition in his life to his advantage.  Phil identifies his negative habits and routines and replaces the negative routines with positive ones.  He shifts from a routine devoted to instant gratification to one devoted to serving others.  All of us need routines.  Are your routines creating positive and healthy patterns and habits?  Changing your routines can transform your life.

Be Creative, Connect.  Phil learns to make ice sculptures, to play the piano, and to create a new life.  He discovers he has the wherewithal to be happy, right now in the present moment.  Interestingly, he used the same resources to create the worst day of his life as he did to create the best day of his life.  To change from the worst day to the best day he simply alters his interpretation of the people, the town, and the events.  We all have this power, to change.

Don’t deny your past, that solves nothing, but learn from it and accept that you can change your patterns and habits.  A year from now, will you be living in the same rut?  Or, will you, like Phil Connors, find a way out of your rut?  Find the help you need to be able to say next Groundhog Day, Yes, I have moved out of my rut.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;  to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24

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Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us at our Counseling Practice with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions at 434-808-2637.