Change - A Chance to Reflect, Let Go, and Create Space for Something New

Life has shifted out of the ordinary for most of us. 

During these unprecedented times, we are trying to adjust to a "new normal" of changed personal and professional circumstances. Many of us are feeling a lot of pressure and struggle with the fear of the unknown.

We dread change because we believe that we lose something of value or we may not be able to adjust to a new way of living. However, this is also a moment where transformation can occur. The truth is, we will have to adapt to new ways. Things won't be the same, at least not for quite a while.

A few weeks back, life was good. My business was thriving, I had a full book of clients and was operating from a state of flow. My schedule was a perfect mix of productive work, exercise, and quality time with my family. Things could not have been better. And then everything changed.

COVID-19 took hold of life in the US. While this didn't come as a big surprise, it was still a shock. a shock in terms of the radical changes to our daily life, a life we were very fond of.

Schools closed down, I was at home with two little boys trying to find a new normal. My husband was under voluntary self-quarantine in the basement after having traveled to California for business.

I have to admit, I experienced a lot of resistance. I felt frustrated and powerless for not having any control over the current situation. How am I going to run a full-time business while taking care of two little kids? There was no escape from reality. 

Change is tough, especially right at the beginning when the cleft between the old and the new seems insurmountable.

Often, this leaves us in a state of feeling powerless, deflated, hopeless, or anxious.

10 days in, on a quiet morning, I sat down, grabbed my journal, and started writing. I contemplated how I would like to handle the current situation and what I envision for my family and myself. After letting go of the resistance and constant worrying about how the future will look like, things started to change. 

It was liberating. For the first time, I found gratitude during this chaotic time. I found some calm and a hint of contentment. I held on to those feelings as they were much more enjoyable than their anxious counterparts.

My patience grew stronger and my desire to rush through chores to get everything done, faded. I started finding the beauty in things. I enjoyed taking my time on our daily strolls, watching the boys as they curiously gazed at the moving clouds. 

It was all about altering my perception of what is.

What has changed? Nothing externally, a lot internally. It was all about altering my perception of what is and moving to acceptance instead of fighting it.

I became aware of how much I let resistance take control, only to make me feel more worried. I realized that I need to lean in and accept what was challenging. Once I accepted the here and now, it allowed me to move past the complaining stage and open up to new possibilities. It almost felt like a veil lifting, a weight taken off my shoulders.

This is a wonderful time to explore the deeper meanings of our life. Perhaps, we previously defined ourselves through our jobs and everything we accomplish externally. Now that many of these external structures have likely changed, we have the chance to explore deeper and move beyond them.

We are asked to connect to something larger than ourselves. 

What would it look like if we could use this time to focus our intention inward? Expand your perspective, set new intentions. 

You may realize that what you have planned and committed to in the past might be ending. The question is, how can you let things go without giving up? How can you redirect your energy? Imagine you are planting new seeds for a future harvest.