Self-awareness truly is one of the greatest gifts we can possibly give ourselves. Awareness of who we are and how we move through this world empowers us to make decisions that help us live our best lives.
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As we approached the new year, I noticed that a casual stroll through my social media feed was flooded with posts, memes, and hashtags celebrating the decimation of 2020 and the eager anticipation of stepping into better times at the stroke of midnight. As I read, I pictured in my mind a magic portal that would sweep across the globe and clean up the mess left behind by 2020 as the new year rolled in. Magical thinking! I guess it didn’t work, because as we have already seen, 2021 has rolled in, and as a whole, it looks pretty much the same.
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The fog of coronavirus shutdowns still hang low in our midst, and here we find ourselves simultaneously choking on the smoke billowing from the fire of injustice that has been massively stoked by the senseless death of George Floyd. This fire has been burning for far too long, but it is continuously fueled by hatred, fear, cowardice, and apathy embodied in packages of injustice, systemic racism, and the abuse of power and privilege. George Floyd and all of the others that were killed before him did not die because of the color of their skin. They died because of the poisoned, ignorant, undeveloped minds of those whose fears, expressed as hatred and aggression, are triggered when they see someone whose skin looks different than their own.
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Often, hearing the word work conjures images of doing — periods of busyness, full of bustling activity. While that may be the work that we are called to do in some moments, there are other times when we are called to do a different kind of work — the work of healing. Healing is not stagnant; it is actually quite active, but our activity shifts from a focus on doing to a focus on being. Healing moves us forward in the most beautiful way. Considering the current state of the world, perhaps healing is the work that everyone, everywhere has been called to do right now.
In my last post, I wrote about my family’s decision, in light of our world’s new temporary reality, to pause and use our time to deal with our immediate needs, gather information, and reassess our position on our life journey. We chose to pause and reassess, but we didn’t stop there, we kept on moving and continue to do so, because there are inherent dangers in getting stuck in the pause mode for too long. It is vital that we are mindful of this fact and continue the work of using our present situation as a push-off point so that we can pivot and keep on moving.
Just two weeks ago, life here in my city was different. I was making plans with my family, with my friends, for my career, and I was looking forward to the change in season that brings in the warmer weather of early spring. I watched from a distance as other parts of the world experienced upheaval and fear. I sent up my prayers and meditated on healing. And then, the chaos traversed the ocean, crossed city limits into my town, and began to wreak havoc.
So many come to coaching because they feel a need to change an aspect of their lives that’s troubling them. There are also those who come to coaching when they feel that life is good and running smoothly, but they have a sense that there is more that they want to accomplish in the world during their lifetime. They come to coaching because they want a bit of support as they grow and navigate through new territory.
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Here we are, not just at the start of a new year but at the start of a new decade. Nothing inspires people to institute change in their lives like crossing the threshold into a new period of marking time.
Light and Darkness. Triumph and Trials. Joy and Sorrow. For me, this theme has been quite prominent over the past few weeks in many ways. Conversations, poetry, biblical passages, life. What I know and keep being reminded of is that even the most joy-filled life has darkness and difficulties. No one is exempt. But, if you take the time to see it and experience it, you can find that along with the fear and pain that darkness may bring there are also the most amazing gifts.
I enter the month of December feeling lighter in a lot of ways. I sense that a new season has begun for me. My attempts at my typical meditation practice didn’t sit well with me this morning. It left me feeling — unfulfilled. I felt compelled to go back to a simple guided meditation that began my meditation practice way back when. It left me feeling invigorated, rejuvenated, and with a sense of clarity that I haven’t felt in quite some time. I also walked away with the knowledge that this is a time for me to reassess what I am doing and why I am doing it in all areas of my life so that I can move forward in alignment and flow with what this new season brings.