Do you find yourself dreading some seasons and looking forward to others? Or do you look forward to one until it comes and immediately start counting the days until it passes?
Heading back into school is a mixed-bag at our house. It means my husband will be home later and have less flexibility in his schedule. It means we have to make sure everyone is fed and dressed in time to get out the door. It also means that I have time and space alone to write and tackle the new projects that I’ve been daydreaming about since May.
Isn’t most change bittersweet? As you and your family move from one season to another, there are ways to get in a better headspace for transition.
Take a Mental Snapshot
Take a mental snapshot of where everyone is right now. Because, guess what? You’ll never be in this exact place again. When next summer comes around, my kids will be a year older and at their ages, that means completely different people. Right now may not be perfect, and in fact, it may be horrific. Either way, take notice. Be grateful for the blessings of this particular moment. It may simply be gratitude that you are surviving and will only move forward from here. Taking notice prepares you to take action.
Make Plans
Transitions are hardest when they’re unintentional. If I don’t have any plans, I’m going to feel lost in my first week at home. The silence and stillness will swallow me up. Instead, I’ve already set a lunch date with a friend and marked writing goals for each week of the first month. Give some thought to the opportunities the new season offers and put them on your to-do list. Better yet, put them on your calendar. As you work through your first month of “newness,” lean into these wins along the way.
Be Grateful
It’s essentially a gratitude sandwich. The key to contentment is looking for reasons to be thankful. It won’t be long into September before I’m worn out with lunches, the pick-up line, and homework. When life wears you down, you can either choose to begin the very long count-down to the next change or you can choose gratitude for what the current season offers. Begin and end your days by listing the things, big and small, that you can be glad for. I may have just been honked at by Mad Mom, but it’s been five hours since anyone asked to listen to Frozen.
What season are you in? Is there are a transition on the horizon for you? What are your hacks for thriving in change?