More than any other month so far this year, this one has seemed to have sped by, so I'm glad the Monday holiday has given us an extra day to come up with our monthly One Little Word check-in posts. Many thanks to Carolyn for hosting us every month and for giving us extra things to think about with respect to our words!
My former boss was fond of saying that the only thing that was constant in life was change, and I think he was really right. In thinking about how my word has made itself known this month, I realized that a lot of my day-to-day has been about adjusting to change. First, my newest nephew arrived earlier than expected. Then there were some pretty big changes at work: knowing that one of my coworkers was going to be leaving at the end of the month, the arrival of our new "big boss," and then the surprise announcement just about a week ago that the head of my unit is leaving. All of these work changes may have big implications for me; certainly in the near term, the loss of a member of my group likely means more work for me. And there are a lot of unknowns about how things will change within the small group and the larger office.
Embracing such changes is a challenge. By nature, I am not someone who likes surprises or unpredictability. I like to be in control of my life as much as possible, and I like to know what to expect so I can mentally and emotionally prepare for things, especially those that are challenging. But these last few years have been one giant experience in having to get through life while being totally out of control of the circumstances, and I think the result is that I've become much more flexible when it comes to changes. I don't always have to like it, and I can certainly complain about it to anyone who asks, but I have accepted it as a fact of life.
Oh, and as to my nephew arriving early? That's been something I can truly embrace -- quite literally!
What a sweetie!!! I'm glad you all are so close that you can get together regularly to see the newest member of your family. Work changes can be very tough (you already know how I know that!!), so I am sending all the best thoughts your way. I hope the transitions are easy and bring you to a better place! Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteAw, your nephew is the best sort of change! I was the type of person that enjoyed stability but as I get older and certainly the pandemic has taught me to embrace change. I'm not sure I look forward to it, but I can at least admit that there may be something good or better waiting in the future. I hope your changes at work shake out smoothly and don't result in more work for you in the long term.
ReplyDeleteChange at work is just stressful! I hope that you can find some calm in all that change... and perhaps a path for something better!
ReplyDeleteBut, the best change is your adorable new nephew! There is no better "calming agent" on earth than a baby sleeping in your arms. The.Best.Ever!
Learning to roll with unwelcome change is . . . good. But never easy. I'm so glad you feel like you're able to embrace it with less trepidation. I hope for minimal disruption and anguish. XO As for your nephew? Oh. What a sweetheart! What joy for your family.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to have a sweet baby to balance the tougher bits of life.
ReplyDeleteWork shift is such a cause for fret -- especially with leadership. My own experiences in academia were less than stellar in that dept.; Troy's, in corporate life, have been more...fruitful. But it always comes with trepidation...vulnerability...and lessons! After roller coasters occurring for us ~ every 4 years, I've settled on the mantra 'Change *usually* leads to something positive!' Fingers and toes crossed that that's the case for you and yours.
ReplyDelete(And, hello, beautiful baby boy!)
I tend to handle change very poorly—what a lot of changes happening at once! Hopefully everything goes smoothly, and whatever adjustments you need to make aren't onerous.
ReplyDeleteSome kinds of surprises (the baby kind) are simply perfect!
ReplyDeleteThose are big work changes and I hope that they work out in a positive way for you. Your nephew is so stinking cute! Baby snuggles are just the best.
ReplyDeleteWork changes are so hard, the new broom always causes havoc! The new nephew is to be welcomed and cuddled, such a sweetie.
ReplyDeleteHe is the big change I am eager to embrace!
DeleteLiteral embraces with a sweet little one are such a lovely balm for the difficult changes you're facing in your work life. Enjoy all those hugs!
ReplyDeleteWow - so many changes right now! I think leadership changes at work are some of the hardest to endure because the inevitable changes in workflow and styles can sometimes feel so personal. I went through a leadership change in which the entire mission of the agency changed and that was a nightmare!! I'm happy to see that you're embracing so many of these changes with an open mind and a good outlook - that will make a world of difference!
ReplyDeleteAnd your nephew is so precious. I hope you're getting lots of snuggles time -- and perhaps even helping to supply Mom and Dad with plenty of caffeine? ;)
Aww, welcome Little One - we're happy to have you and hope that you'll like it here! Congratulations to your family! I hope your sister in law is well and everything went fine. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it's a sign of how far you have come (yet again) as a person that you can now say "I definitely don't like this bumpy ride with all these changes, but I'm gonna go with the flow" - I think it takes a lot of strength to do that, especially once anxiety has had you in your claws and wants to instill panic as a knee-jerk reaction in you forever. GO YOU!!! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the outcome is gonna be calm waters.