I was so excited for Covid to be over. I was so ready to get back to what I told myself was a more normal life. I had so many things that had been canceled and put on hold to which I had been looking forward. So, as case numbers dropped and mask mandates lifted, I was eager and excited.
Unfortunately, that feeing hasn’t really lasted. It’s been replaced with a sensation of trying to walk and sometimes even run into the forceful winds of a hurricane. I’m leaning in and approaching each day with effort and intention, but life just feels like it’s constantly trying to blow me backwards.
It’s all creating a terrible feeling of overwhelm. Suddenly I find myself with a calendar full of renewed plans that had been canceled over the past couple of years, but, instead of looking forward to them, I just want to plop back down on my sofa and binge some Netflix.
I’ve been trying to ask myself why that might be. Why does it feel so uncomfortable to slip back into my “normal” life?
The conclusion that I’ve come to as I’ve explored this is that my life has changed. I’ve changed over the past 2 years. My priorities have changed. My desires have changed.
My plans have been waiting for me since they were first canceled in March of 2020. They’ve been slumbering and waiting to emerge back into the world where they were crafted, but that world too has changed. It is as if these commitments are visitors from another time and I’ve come to the realization that some of these visitors may no longer be welcome in the life I live now.
It’s an odd dichotomy to look at something I once felt so fondly about and realize that I no longer want it. Or, even if I do still want it, I realize that it is no longer the priority in my life that it once was.
It also means that it’s time to let some things go.
Before I found coaching, I would not have realized that was the answer. I would have simply plowed ahead trying to do it all and please everyone who was counting on me. Then I would have been infuriated at myself for giving in to those desires to watch Netflix instead of remaining constantly “productive”.
Working with my coach, however, has taught me that I’m much more productive when I’m not overwhelmed. I’ve learned that it’s so much easier to accomplish my goals when I’m willing to advocate for my needs and let go of commitments that don’t serve me.
As we reschedule so much of what was canceled when Covid precautions took priority in our lives, I would like to encourage you to really ask yourself if these commitments remain a priority for you. Just because you wanted to do something two years ago or because you used to do it every year doesn’t mean you need to start doing it again now. You can add things back into your life now with intention and purpose.
You don’t have to do it all.
Let me repeat that.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ALL.
This month I’m going to focus on setting priorities and working toward accomplishing your goals. It feels like the perfect moment to revisit some of these concepts as life takes the form of a raging river determined to plunge our rafts rapidly downstream. You don’t have to let the river control your boat. You have oars.
If you’re not sure how to row your boat, I’d love to help you. I’m currently looking for 1-2 clients who would like to work closely with me in an elite one-on-one coaching experience. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can start by downloading my free course How To Feel Better On Your Next Shift. You can also email me directly at hello@unicorndoctor.com to learn more.
