In my life, I regularly plan for the time when life slows down. Or at least is more predictable with less unknowns. I don’t know why I do this, because I am regularly taken off-guard by unknowns and change. Does this happen to you? This time of my life is no different.
I have been at Balance Health & Healing for two years. I have a one-year old at home and I feel settled and comfortable in my job after coming back from that maternity leave. My case load is steady, my clients are awesome, and I look forward to seeing my coworkers. And, after another surprise pregnancy, I am headed back on maternity leave at the end of this month in preparation for a new little one, who I’m sure will turn my life upside down!
Change is here to stay. And I’ll be the first to admit that it makes me anxious. As strange as it sounds, I wish there was a way to prepare for all change. To be able to assess all possible outcomes and be prepared for what ever life throws at me. Instead it knocks me off my feet and challenges me in ways that hadn’t even crossed my mind. It pushes me to be a different, more full, version of myself.
Goodbyes
One of the benefits of change is that it allows me to meet new people. I really enjoy getting to know people and learn from them. It’s also comforting to have people to lean on in times of need. The women that I work with at Balance Health & Healing have been that for me. They are competent, fun and funny, and they’ve been there when I’ve needed them over these last 2 years. It feels like we have built a second family here, which makes it very difficult for me to head out on maternity leave again.
Saying goodbye is one of the most difficult parts of change for me. I felt it strongly when I graduated from my counseling psychology program and had to say goodbye to my friends and mentors there who were such an integrated part of my life for five years. Maybe one of the things that makes it so hard is finding the words to say thank you for changing me and caring about me. How do you express gratitude for something so impactful?
The Unknown
And then there are the next steps into the unknown. I am a planner. I find comfort in being prepared and thoughtful about what comes next. But no matter what it is (a new job, moving to a new town, any big life transition) there will always be unknowns and things that you cannot prepare for. I’m sure this is part of the bigger design of
life, and like I said, in many of these situations I have felt personal growth, but it is still difficult.
Staying Grounded
At times like this it’s important for me to stay grounded in who I am. To recognize my personal strengths that help me learn and grow in whatever I’m faced with. This is also something that I talk with clients about regularly. We recognize the strengths and successes that they’ve had in the past. I encourage people to meditate and be mindful of how they feel so that they can attend to the emotions that come up. We can be our strongest anchor in the midst of change.
This is what I am taking with me into the next chapter of my life. I am taking the friendships that I’ve made here at Balance Health & Healing. And this is my hope, for myself, and for you during times of change and instability, that we can stay grounded and trust ourselves that no matter what comes next, we have the tools to face it.