Right now, we are at a crossroads with several things in our lives. During these times, many of our plans and comforts have shifted and they demand us to adapt with such changes. We continue to ride with the tides yet we don’t pause to see where they have taken us throughout our journey. Do you know where the tides have taken you? Every once in a while, we need to stop for a moment to know if the path we’re on is taking us to where we want to go.
Some of us go on with our everyday life. We continue to study and/or work in spite of the “new normal.” Making ends meet is one of our top priorities at the moment. There are also those who try to cope with the new changes. Hobbies and spending time with those around us help maintain our sanity. But we mustn’t also forget those who are continuously struggling. There are those who can’t easily accept the changes around them. We of course need to be there for them too. It isn’t easy but we will all make it to our destination.
However, to do that, it isn’t simple. Being able to keep up with the tides of change is a challenging feat. It takes a lot to keep ourselves from falling into the waters. But courage can anchor us. What makes it different though from we also know as bravery? Bravery is being able to confront something difficult or dangerous without any fear. Courage however, is facing something in spite of the fear one has. We need to have more courage as the things happening around us definitely instill fear of the uncertain. Our fears cannot simply be casted away. They can be used though to kickstart our courage in facing and moving on with change.
This current reality we’re living in is out of our grasp and we should slowly learn to accept that, clinical psychologist, Dr. Michelle Moore states. Our first step in conquering the tides is being realistic with what’s going on in our reality. Yes, we want to help ourselves and the people around us, but some changes are too big for us to counter. Accepting change isn’t easy. It takes time in coming to terms with our reality. We need to give ourselves enough time in realizing how such changes are real. Being realistic with our current situation is the first step in moving on with change.
Aside from that, we must also have people to support and who will support us during these changes. There are still possibilities of us and other people lapsing back to denial. These people can be as simple as family, friends, and even colleagues as long as we trust them with what we’re going through. They can be the people we can confide our struggles with. They can be the open ear to listen to us during these trying times. We may even learn a thing or two from them to help ourselves. Having a good support system and asking help from time to time can definitely help and assure us that even in spite of these changes, we will be alright.
Lastly, we should cut ourselves some slack too. Change is part of life as it is. Our anxieties and fears of the uncertain are normal. These fears of moving on with our lives help us rethink the path we are currently down on. They shouldn’t take a hold of us though. Our fears and anxieties can be managed and used in a healthy way if we take our grasp on them.
Moving on and continuing with life itself in spite of new changes isn’t easy for everyone. We all have our own struggles and setbacks that make moving on different for each of us. As said before, for some it may be easy, but for others, it can really be quite difficult. Courage is the thing that keeps us afloat during these times. Honing our courage to go on with life can be done if we apply the steps previously mentioned. But that doesn’t mean those are the only steps that can help us in moving on and thriving with life altogether. It’s alright to create our own ways to move on and have courage. What’s important though is that the measures we take to ride with the tides are truly healthy for us and can bridge us over troubled waters.