December is here! Suddenly, almost without realizing it, a whole year has gone by. Here are some ideas to help you reflect on the changes that go along with the passing of our lives. Subtle or monumental changes: things like moving to Yucatán, or starting a new job, learning a new skill, entering or leaving a relationship, for example, are actions that “rock our boat,” but also opportunities to grow and evolve. They involve being on the move and, in turn, are opportunities to cultivate ourselves in a way that can align with our values.
To reflect on the changes, I’d like to ask you how you go through them. What helps you do it? Do you tend to resist or start looking for new possibilities? Do you allow others to help you through them? Don’t panic if the answers aren’t entirely clear at this point. These questions can be a small guide to question your decisions regarding something that will always be present in your life. As the saying goes, the only constant is change. Does that sound contradictory? Let’s take a look: the path of adjusting to new changes can be accompanied by emotions such as fear or anger, although they can also be related to hope or joy. Maybe you don’t consciously choose what to feel; however, something you can do, even through the novelty of a change, is choosing how to go through it and who you want by your side for it. This provides security; at least until it’s time to make a new adjustment.
A little earlier I mentioned movement as a door to new possibilities. A well-known formula for feeling good has to do with taking care of the mind and taking care of the body; this covers the personal level. However, today I encourage you to think about your well-being from the standpoint of your relationships with others. Much of what we are or know is due to all the networks we belong to: family, education, culture, and language. All of them are in motion, evolving with us. Relationships with others give us the chance to look from a different perspective, and that is, without a doubt, a window to new possibilities.
Sometimes change can feel like a big task; keep in mind that you are not alone, although sometimes you may feel like it. I’d like to share five ideas to help you go through the changes:
- Talk about what’s important when you feel like it. There are no absurd conversations when they carry intention.
- Pay attention to what your body feels. These are the conversations you are having with yourself.
- Listen actively. It is as important to do it towards yourself as it is towards others.
- Allow yourself to be a part of something. A network of relationships is enriched by what you, and nobody else, can contribute to it.
- Stop judging yourself. Doing something new means naturally embracing the idea of trial and error.
Keep in mind that if these adjustments in life have become overwhelming, it may be time to consider the company of a professional to guide you. This is a possibility that is always open, especially when emotions play an important role. A network supports; don’t forget that. Maybe sometimes it supports you, and maybe some other times it’s you who supports others. Building relationships helps you transform and welcome the new changes in your life: a life that feels built on your own freedom to choose.
By Pamela R. Peraza Suárez
Certified International Psychotherapist. An admirer of nature and its processes, a fan of experimental cooking, curious about world cultures, bilingual, and passionate conversationalist.
Photography by Mike Díaz y Las Fundación Mezcalería for use in Yucatán Today.
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