As so much is shifting internally and externally we may be looking for new ways that we can respond with resiliency. I know that this is true for me. I have been experiencing many shifts in my support systems and structures. My professional support team is changing- my transplant doctor received a wonderful job opportunity that involves relocating. This means I now need a new transplant doctor. Also, my therapist that I have had for 20 plus years has recently retired (I am very grateful that I have found a new therapist). There are also aspects of my personal support squad (as I lovingly refer to my friends and family that are my go-to support people) that are also shifting. Having both professional and personal support structures in place is a major part of my ability to rise with resiliency! So all these changes simultaneously is definitely challenging.

Through this process, I have been looking back on past experiences to help me respond now. The only comparison I can make is to my high school years, when I was experiencing extreme change and challenge ALL AT ONCE, like many of us are now. There are obviously things about my response than as a teenager and now as an adult that need to be updated. 

My younger self found a way to thrive through extreme times by establishing a pattern of overdoing to create a sense of safety. As an adult, I can see that there are aspects of this response that do not serve me at this age and stage in my life. My adult self has resources, lived experiences, and knowledge that my younger self did not.

Now, I am rebooting outdated responses as I shift from overdoing to leaning in more to being, trusting, and receiving. This definitely will take time to integrate the new responses with the old to create what works at this life stage.

I am starting by: 

• Creating a new belief system of feeling guided to help me to feel grounded.
• Becoming more confident in knowing that I can create feelings of safety by trusting, believing, and receiving.
• Connecting with my inner child and comforting her by letting her know that: I got this, I have lived, learned, and am confident in my ability to course-correct when needed.
  
  • I am also reminding my inner child that I can do some things differently and continue to rise up to challenges with a resilient response!

Are there many things that are shifting for you as well? Where in your life are you operating from an outdated model, and how can you begin to reboot that response? 

We can change our response and it does not change the fact that we can continue to succeed, rise, and thrive (maybe even more so) with the updated model. We are strong, brave, and courageous even when there are extreme changes we can and we will rise with resiliency!