Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

"All great changes are preceded by chaos."

    There have been a lot of changes in my life recently and in the lives of my family.  The biggest one was a long term medical issue that my dad had surgery for and I was there to help with the recovery and respite for my stepmother. She went back home overseas to be with her mother who then passed.  I paid off my car.  My nephew got married and he and his partner are expecting a baby.  And on top of this all, I have had a flood of carving orders, even one for a special auction.

    Along with all these personal life changes,  I made the decision to stop attending DBT group.  It's not because I am depressed or that it isn't working for me.  It's a two-fold thing, I found myself in the role of almost co-facilitating the group and I wanted my roommate to be able to attend the group.  This means, to me, that I have grown past the cope of the group and am ready to work on other areas or get involved in teaching or more in-depth DBT skills.

    Change is hard for me.  I get overwhelmed and stressed.  With all these positive changes, I have found myself experiencing anxiety.  A lot of that stems from the expectations I place on myself.  It feels extremely chaotic, even when the changes are positive, and that is difficult for me to process at times.

    All this chaos and positivity and anxiety has given me the opportunity to practice self-care, DBT skills, and reasoning through things on my own, without a structured group setting.  And while change has come from chaos, it has also given me confidence and opportunities that I never would have known without it.

    So, when it feels like changes are chaotic and overwhelming, remember you have skills, a support system, and distractions to help you through.  Though it's hard, you will find yourself with the chance to embrace the change.  You may even find strength and beauty you never expected.  Remember, you are not alone.  It's okay to feel anxious or overwhelmed but going with the flow of changes, you will find your new normal may be the very thing you needed all along.

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