Life in 2020 may feel a bit like this image - everything is bending in the opposite direction of what is normal, and our life feels the strain. We may be feeling anxiety due to the uncertainties and limits placed on our lives. When life stretches us in unexpected ways, it can hurt!
Here’s a perspective to consider, although the pandemic may be unique to our experience, uncertainty and unexpected trials are not. Has life ever thrown you an unexpected curve-ball? I am sure it has. Getting caught off guard and needing to adjust is definitely a more frequent experience in life than we would like. If we are going to not just survive but actually grow through these unexpected life events, then we need to understand that life absolutely requires flexibility.
So what does flexibility in life require of us?
Accept that life is forever changing, and so are you. If we do not stretch, what happens? We get stiff, lose muscle strength, and are prone to injury. It’s the way life works: if we expect things to stay the same, we will be prone to emotional injury. Staying flexible can become your superpower to fight the negative stuff that comes your way! “I bend so I don’t break.”
Look for opportunities within the trials. Have you ever thought about the paradox of exercise? You’ve heard the expression: “No pain no gain.” Muscles are actually built by producing minor tears when exercising. By expending energy through exercise, we actually become more energetic. Know this - when you feel stretched by life there is an opportunity to grow something new. Believe something good is on the other side of every stretching and painful experience because that is what the stretching is intended to produce - strength you didn’t have before.
Recognize that you are never truly alone. Like the photo depicts, there is always someone else who has been stretched in similar ways and felt similar pain as you. If you seek it, there are supportive people willing to listen and help you in your time of need within your community. Flexibility requires reaching out to people who care and can help, and when we reach out regularly, the strain eventually produces strength we may not have even known could be gained.
An unintended pregnancy or an STI can present an unexpected life challenge. If you or someone you know is experiencing either of these, the Dawn Centre is here with services that can help you with testing and resources to process your next steps. For an appointment call: 519-620-0204 or book online at www.dawncentre.ca.
Photo credit: https://www.pexels.com/@elly-fairytale/collections/