Navigating Challenges During Life’s Changes

We have made it to the last part of our “Shift Happens” series! (Missed part 1, or part 2 or part 3?)

If you’ve been following along, we have been discussing navigating challenges during life changes that make us feel like the world is spinning faster than a caffeinated hamster on a wheel. In this fourth and final installment, we’re tackling “I just want to hide under my blanket fort” isolation, giving our neglected self some TLC, and figuring out where we are headed now that the old roadmap is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Ready? Let’s dive in!

10. Breaking The Isolation

When shift happens, our first instinct might be to curl up in a blanket burrito and binge-watch your favorite show for the 5th time. The outside world can feel overwhelming when we are trying to navigate a big change. While going full hermit mode might feel safe, it’s more like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions– frustrating and likely to end in tears.

Remember being a kid and thinking that hiding under the covers made granted invisibility powers? Yeah, isolating ourself during tough times is kinda like that. It doesn’t actually solve anything, and we might miss out on some much-needed support. Reaching out to our people (Coaches, Inner Circle and Positive Allies) like the ones described in part two of this series can make all the difference in our trajectory.

Perhaps it’s shooting a text to our bestie for a quick check in, giving our mom a call for some of that unconditional love (and maybe a family recipe that always makes us feel better), or even joining a support group with folks going through a similar issue.

Hey, if the thought of a deep, heart-to-heart conversation makes you want to crawl back into that blanket burrito, start small. Sometimes, just grabbing a coffee with a friend and talking about literally anything other than our current situation can help us feel more like ourself. It’s like hitting the reset button on our brain.

Shift Happens Action Step:

For the next five days, spend just five minutes connecting with five different people. This could be:

 

• Sending a text to an old friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with
• Calling a family member for a quick chat
• Leaving a supportive comment on someone’s social media post
• Striking up a conversation while waiting in line.
• Reaching out to someone who’s been through a similar life change for advice

 

The goal isn’t to have deep, soul-searching conversations (unless you want to, of course). It’s about reminding yourself that you’re part of a community, that people care about you, and that you’re not alone in this wild ride called life.

 

Just jot down a note on your phone or stick a Post-it on your mirror to keep track of your progress. After the five days, just think about how these brief connections made you feel. Did they put you in a better mood? Give you a new perspective? Or at the very least, did they get you out of your own head for a few minutes?

Remember, you don’t have to navigate this change alone. If you’re looking for extra support, please contact us. That’s why we’re here.

11. Taking Care Of You

When life goes sideways, taking care of ourselves often falls to the bottom of our to-do list, right below “organize sock drawer” and “learn to juggle.” In America, many people in major life shifts tend to treat their bodies to a daily blend of adrenaline, coffee, and some sugary food-like substance. The only exercise we might get is pacing like crazy on hold with customer service. Sleep? Ha! That’s for people who don’t have existential crises at 3 AM.

But here’s the thing, our bodies are not just along for the ride. They are the vehicle we drive through this chaos. And if we treat them like a rental car with full insurance coverage, we can pay a hefty fee later on.

So, what’s the solution? Do we need to suddenly become a green-juice-chugging yoga enthusiast who meal preps on Sundays and goes to bed at 9 PM sharp? Nah. (Unless that’s your thing, in which case, keep going!). Instead, think of self-care as creating a basic routine that supports our basic needs in this time transition.

Shift Happens Action Step:

Let’s play “Self-Care Bingo”. Create a bingo card by drawing a 5 x 5 grid on a piece of paper. You can also get free printable bingo cards. In each square, write one small, achievable self-care task that is important to you. Here are twelve ideas to get you started:

 

• Pray or meditate for 15 minutes
• Take a 45 minute rest period (nap if you choose)
• Do a 15 minute nature walk
• Call a friend for a quick chat
• Do literally any form of exercise for 15 minutes
• Prepare one home-cooked meal that will nourish your body
• Do something purely for fun
• Journal about your feeling
• Write or say one thing you appreciate about today.
• Get a belly laugh from a comedy routine (Try Dry Bar Comedy for clean comedy)
• Do deep breathing exercises
• Prepare yourself an hour before bedtime for quality sleep (turn off all screens, minimal light, cooler bedroom temperature, etc.)

Your mission, if you choose to accept it (and your body really wants you to), is to attempt “Bingo” daily for a week. You don’t have to hit every square, just enough to draw a line across, down, or diagonally.

 

Reflect on your week’s accomplishments. How do you feel? A little more normal? A little less like a walking ball of stress? Keep in mind, taking care of ourselves is necessary, not selfish. Just as a phone needs to be charged to function, you shouldn’t neglect your own self-care and expect to operate at your best.

 

Now go forth and let the excitement of bingo guide you towards a path of improved self-care.

12. Finding Your New Direction

Alright, let’s talk about those grand plans we make. Big transitions can make our previous goals feel irrelevant or out of reach. Shift happens, and suddenly our meticulously crafted five-year plan looks about as relevant as a floppy disk in the age of cloud storage.

It’s okay if our old plan no longer fits. This is a chance to reassess what really matters to us now. Remember as a child, we changed our mind about what we wanted to be when we grew up as often as changing your favorite color? Channel that energy. Our dreams and goals aren’t set in stone – they’re more like Play-Doh, ready to be reshaped as we develop.

It’s not something that has to be figured out right this second. When the question is asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years? “, it’s perfectly acceptable to answer “hopefully not on fire” and call it a day. But if that itch to move forward is calling, start small.

These baby steps might feel insignificant compared to the old, grandiose plans. But remember, as we tick off these smaller goals, we’re not just accomplishing tasks – we’re building confidence, clarity, and momentum.

And here’s the beautiful part – as we work on these bite-sized objectives, we’ll get a clearer picture of what really lights our fire. Perhaps parental duties have decreased since becoming an empty nester, but the thought of joining a group where they mentor youth brings an internal excitement. Or perhaps there is an epiphany where the realization that the genuine passion isn’t in climbing the corporate ladder, but in teaching others to climb their own.

Shift Happens Action Step:

Here’s what we’re going to do. Grab a blank piece of paper (the bigger, the better) and a handful of colorful pens or markers. Now, set a timer for 15 minutes and let your imagination run wild.

 

Start in the center of the paper with “My Ideal Life” and just start doodling and jotting down anything that comes to mind. Don’t censor yourself – if part of your ideal life involves becoming a professional pizza taster, write it down! Want to live in a cottage by the beach and make pottery? Sketch it out! Dream of helping at a rhino sanctuary in Africa? Make a note!The key here is to silence your inner critic. This isn’t about what’s “realistic” or “practical” – it’s about rediscovering what excites you, what makes your heart beat a little faster.

 

Once your 15 minutes are up, take a step back and look at your creation. What themes do you see emerging? What surprises you? Now, pick three items from your doodle that resonate with you the most. For each of these three items, write one small, achievable step you can take in the next week to move towards it. If you doodled about traveling the world, maybe your step is to apply for a passport. If you sketched out a career change, perhaps it’s updating your LinkedIn profile or reaching out to someone in that field for a chat.

 

Put this doodle somewhere you’ll see it every day – like on your fridge, bathroom mirror, or even as your phone’s wallpaper. Let it remind you that even if your old plans have gone out the window, new dreams are taking shape.

Figuring out our fresh path isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about having an open mind and finding joy in the process of uncovering answers. So go on, start doodling your way towards that vision of where you want to go. Who knows? Your next big dream could hide in a colorful scribble on that page.

Discover your vision for your life and develop strategies to make it happen. If you need support in identifying your life’s purpose, clarifying your vision for the next chapter, and creating a strong mission map to ensure the successful realization of your vision, schedule an appointment with us.

Wrap Up

Well, folks, we’ve made it to the finish line of our “Shift Happens” marathon! We’ve tackled everything from blanket-burrito isolation to the art of self-care bingo, and even dabbled in some dream-doodling. Whether you’re reaching out to a friend, treating yourself to a proper meal (no, cold pizza doesn’t count), or reimagining your future with the enthusiasm of a kid with a fresh box of crayons, you’re taking steps in the right direction. So go ahead, embrace the chaos, give yourself a high-five for making it this far, and keep moving forward!

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