It’s hard to slow down at any time of the year, to practice patience. And, it’s particularly hard during a change of seasons. Real and metaphoric.
And, it’s that time of year, again. Back to school. Back to work … well, we were still working and at a slower pace for several cultures and places.
For many, it feels like time to ramp up the pace. So, it may be counter-intuitive to say, remember to slow down. What is the norm anyway?
When norms and change of seasons collide, there’s a journey of sorts. The journey is familiar, we’ve been there before. Yes. And, there’s change in the air.
Quite literally, the air is changing. In most places globally, the weather pattern is changing. Over time, the seasonal changes are upon us. The speed of life ramps up. The morning routine is quicker. The race to secure our livelihood speeds up.
As with any journey, even a day’s journey to work, school and community gatherings, we begin to pack the items we need and want. And what about the invisible items, our beliefs, values and attitudes?
Cesare Pavese said: “If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.”
In our daily journey through life at home, work and school, we take with us our beliefs, values and attitudes. Consciously and unconsciously. We take baggage with us, baggage influenced by the past and the present.
When uncertainty and the confusion of change hits us – our greatest ally is a tolerance for change. Let’s face it, change is a daily fact. And, our routines are deeply ingrained. As the adjustment period where routine and change come together, remember to pack your deepest values, beliefs and attitudes.
In particular this month, patience is top on my list to pack. Patience for my own reluctance to shift my routine. Patience for increasing traffic and gas prices. Patience for when life goes by too fast or too slow!!
It’s that time of year again, the time for change. The change of something new and novel. The change that brings uncertainty, a mystery. A change that may have us feel vulnerable, uncomfortable. It may feel ambiguous and it may feel challenging.
Dan Rather said: “If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.”
Before the journey unfolds, remember to pack your patience.The destination is worth it.
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