I feel like I’ve been in an overdrawn suspense movie these past couple of months. One of the good things about it is that I’m in it with the rest of the world, so I take solace in not being in it alone and in that feeling of collective suffering.
So many people have been hard hit in varying degrees by this pandemic and it is truly heartbreaking. Some of us on the other hand, are waiting with bated breath for things to go back to normal. This is where I want to jump up and wave my hands and say normal as we knew it is never coming back. And whilst that sucks, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing.
The normal we had wasn’t exactly working was it? It was so flawed that even though the world has come to a grinding halt, we have trouble opening ourselves up to the possibilities that the halt could be presenting with it. It brings with it, an incredible opportunity for us to slow down and perhaps start our lives over. The problem is, lots of us have lived most of our lives on autopilot. Always from one thing to the next. That’s certainly how I did.
It is up to each person to make the most of the normal we have now and to remember that nothing has meaning except what we assign to it. As hard as this might be for us, it’s up to us to decide if it ends up being an empowering or disempowering period in our lives.
If you choose for it to be empowering, you must acknowledge where you are. Acknowledge and feel all the feels 100 percent, and for however long you want, and be kind and graceful with yourself in doing so, then redirect your focus, because what you focus on ultimately expands.
What could you focus on you might ask? What if you could start over? What if the person you are supposed to be is on the other side of this uncertainty? What if you chose to unveil the gifts wrapped by this period of uncertainty in your life? This moment presents a chance to try your hands at creating that life you secretly crave.
Yes, it’s all incredibly tough! If you’re reading this, you’re still breathing. If you’re still breathing, there’s hope! It might be hard, but you can choose hope! You can choose to believe that there’s a blessing so much bigger than this hardship you’re experiencing! You can choose to rise again and again.
The biggest misconception people have with starting over is the thought that you have to uproot your entire life. This is definitely crippling and couldn’t be farther from the truth! You don’t have to change your whole life all at once. Life is a continuous journey of start overs and becoming and you’ve been preparing for this moment your whole life! You are by no means a finished product. You are a masterpiece in progress with all of the life experience and expertise you’ve gathered to this point. Not to mention the track record of successes you’ve built along the way.
Think about it, there’s no better time than now to start over. The whole world is on pause with you. Honestly, no one is even paying any attention! Everyone is busy trying to stay safe while practicing social distancing. Start exactly where you are, with what you have!
Here are a few questions to get you going:
- Why?
Why do you want to start over? Remember to accept where you are and then get really clear on why you want to start over. This will help you determine what’s really driving you to start over and keep you focused if things get tough along the way
- What?
What do you want to start over at? Most people think they need to have their life’s purpose figured out immediately but you could simply draw from your wealth of “I wish I could” moments. We all have them. Start by thinking of all those moments you wished you could do anything. Begin to envision the life you want and write about it.
- How?
Stay present and think of what baby steps you can take to start over. Focus on what you want and set tiny goals to get there.
If you got the chance to intentionally rewrite chapters of your story, which would they be and what would they read like? That chance is here. It’s one you’ve been wishing for your whole life. Are you going to get writing?