I’m sitting in my new coffee nook as I type this post. I’m staring out our big bay windows watching the world wake up. There’s frost covering the ground and the bird bath is frozen solid. I’m covered up and cozy in my favorite fuzzy blanket given to me by my oldest niece. Matthew is sitting next to me, likely catching up on the news while I’m reading about removable wallpaper. If this is sounding too glamorous, I’ll point out that just inches away there are tubs stacked head-high of decor from my birthday party and there are definitely cake crumbs on the counter. Life isn’t perfect, you guys. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.
However, this post isn’t about my immediate surroundings or the weather outside. It’s about change. It’s about dealing with that change, or better yet, learning to welcome and embrace it. The last several weeks have been allll about change. Imagine changes in my home, my business, and my family. I almost want to call it a major overhaul, yet I know that’s a bit dramatic. One of these changes was moving the breakfast table to the dining room to use as a temporary workspace. This meant, moving our morning coffee spot to the chairs in the breakfast space. This seems simple, and for many people (like my husband) they wouldn’t miss a beat. For me, even something this small can be overwhelming.
On one hand, I love to be spontaneous and adventurous. On the other, I value a routine. I think that I feel balanced as long as the routine is the most prevalent and that some consistency remains among the spontaneity. When I feel like everything is changing at once, I feel anxious. And that’s precisely how I’ve felt the last month or so. As I sit staring out this new window, I think about all of the changes. I realize that I want these changes. I realize that they’re all good and that everyone is still alive amidst the chaos. I realize no one was harmed in the making of this story. We’re alive. We’re well. And we’re happy. Thinking through these things makes me want to “go with the flow” and “embrace change,” while knowing that those two principles don’t ring strong in my emotional wardrobe. Nonetheless, as I sip coffee (that’s likely getting cold as I type) from a new location, I understand that I’m practicing being gracious through the transition periods. I’m practicing bravery or better yet, courage. My hope is that when the next wave of changes roll through, I’ll be even better at navigating them.
It’s a bit silly to think about how much aversion I have to change sometimes. Why would someone put up such a fight when they know change is inevitable? When they want the change? I can’t answer those questions yet, and I know that I may not ever understand. However, I can hope that I’ll become better at it. I can consider each new endeavor as practice. I can focus on staying calm when I see that things are adjusting around me. I can learn to love to sip my coffee from this new nook and understand that someday…maybe even soon…I might sip it from somewhere else.
