by Jodi
Honor the space between no longer and not yet. - Nancy Levin
Transitions can be exciting, terrifying, or a little bit of both. Like many, my job situation has completely changed in the last six months. So I find myself transitioning into a whole new way of living my life. What’s kind of interesting though, is that I’m kind of liking it. Well, let me clarify that the struggle of changing how I do things - it’s definitely a hassle. Developing routines, practicing daily habits and having all of my days start and end pretty much the same way - it turns out that’s pretty cool. After 20+ years of living out of a suitcase for at least half of the month, I find myself enjoying this time of nesting.
Change is Scary
When I found out I’d be home for another 6 months, it felt a little like I was walking off the edge of a cliff. It can be super scary to leave what you know, even if you’re unhappy, to try something new. One thing that’s helped me, though, is to know I’m not alone. Lots of people are finding themselves in this same situation.
Perhaps the lesson here is: ‘Be careful what you wish for’ or maybe ‘just be A LOT more specific about your wishes in the future 😉’
Now, I don’t dislike my job as a Flight Attendant - I love it, actually. What I would prefer, however, is to do a little less of it. Being away 15-18 days per month was FUN and exciting when I was a single gal throughout my 20’s. It was pretty amazing to have a social life all over the world and if I could go back again, I wouldn’t change a thing! As I’ve gotten older, though, some of my other passions began to grow resulting in different priorities. Now, yoga, meditation and fitness are significantly larger parts of who I am and how I relate to the world. The opportunity to spend more of my time and energy teaching classes is one I had planned to ease into with the benefit of having my job to fall back on whenever money was tight. Instead, I find it’s more like I’m diving into the deep end and hoping I can swim as well as I thought!
Change is Necessary
The truth is, though, that we NEED some kind of major shake up to make major changes. Because when things are good or we have something to fall back on, there’s really no reason for us to change. When we get used to a situation that we don’t really like while also not really hating it, it’s tough to justify making a big leap and switching things up. The “what if” scenarios start filling our heads and we talk ourselves right out of whatever change we were hoping to make.
For me and countless others, though, the Universe had other plans. We’ve received mandatory motivation to initiate some transitions. Maybe it’s transitioning into retirement a bit earlier, maybe into a new job, maybe to developing that passionate hobby into an official side hustle, or maybe we need to transition an existing relationship into something else entirely. This could be a not so gentle nudge to take the plunge and make a commitment or even to end a relationship that’s no longer healthy or happy.
The great news is - we’re truly ALL in it together!
Everyone is going through some major changes and trying to figure out their new normal. If we continue to fight the idea of change, we’re just giving in to the anger and fear. Anger from being forced to change when you weren’t prepared and fear of the unknown. This situation in which our world finds itself is completely unprecedented and none of us have any guidelines telling us how to deal with it.
Change is Inevitable
If this year has taught us anything, it’s that life is going to keep changing, whether we’re ready for it or not. So the key for me is to actively seek ways to adapt and find a little peace of mind along the way. Personally, I’ve been doing a LOT of journaling, meditation and daily affirmation work. It’s helping me feel like I’m designing my new normal and manifesting the future world in which I want to live. Most importantly, I’m finding a way to flow with the changes instead of fighting them.
If you’re looking for some assistance starting a meditation practice, I recommend downloading an app like Insight Timer, Calm, or Headspace. To learn more about using affirmations, check out the books by Louise Hay. For journaling inspiration, there is a wonderful book by Julia Cameron called The Artists Way to help you get started with a daily writing practice. If one of these ideas resonates with you, that's great! If not, then keep looking for something that does -