Throwing plans out the window

“We must let go of the life we planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us” – Joseph Campbell

Recently, I have come to the realization that I have been hanging onto a fierce longing for everything in my life to return to “normal”. I am also working towards accepting that aspects of my life may be permanently altered. And, I am trying to be okay with that.

Going through a journal I found last year that dates back to my university days, I had typically started all of the entries I wrote with a quote and so happened upon some of the wisdom from Joseph Campbell. Managing expectations and building in flexibility to my skill set was something I thought that I had achieved quite awhile ago.

Apparently, these are skills that must be worked on in an ongoing fashion in order to be available when you actually need to draw upon them. As my emotional responses to the events that are shaping the world right now become more rigid and as I struggle to not apply inappropriate expectations on goals and plans I had for my life at this stage, I realize I need a refresher course.

Understanding the areas of my life that define my purpose and give shape to the meaning I attach to activities and people that I value had started to fade into the background. Taking time out for reflective thought rather than simply staying “busy” for the sake of just being busy has actually grounded me in ways that I had been losing touch with.

My journaling practice had fallen by the wayside and I was struggling with my writing practice as my headspace was full of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” types of thoughts. This crept up on me just like your shoulders begin to reach towards your earlobes when you are stressed.

Recognizing that I am in transition once again and that I need to accept where this is taking me to at this time is hard work. I have always had to apply focus to relax my expectations of myself. So I am doing everything in my power to let this self-knowledge be my guide during these challenging times.

What do you do to get through times when your plans are thrown off kilter, activities of daily living change, and your relationships become altered?

Stay healthy, safe and keep moving through this wild journey we call life!