It’s the morning after you’ve been to the doctor’s office, you have high blood pressure. Your “youth” is over. It’s the morning after you played three days of golf in a row; your “take-off” knee is double its size. You know that it’s time to schedule the replacement; you’re not thirty anymore. It’s the morning after you’ve just moved from your big family home to your new condo, in another city, closer to the children. Boxes to unpack; new friends to make. It’s the morning after the Memorial Service and all of your family has gone home. You’re on your own.
+ Remember to take your time adjusting to these new challenges that are facing you. You don’t have to be on anyone else’s timetable to put your life back together. Everyone adjusts at their own pace and in their own way. The most important thing is that you keep working on moving forward.
+ Get going. Start to exercise and loose those few extra pounds, it couldn’t hurt – twenty minutes of walking a day –you can do that. Schedule the surgery your doctor suggested, regularly do physical therapy – help your body be the best that is possible. Unpack a couple of boxes a day – they’re not going anywhere, so just take your time.
+ Make yourself call at least one friend or family member to share a meal, a glass of wine, go to a movie, take a drive together. Schedule something at least once or twice a week to maintain physical, mental and social balance in your life. For the long term, it’s your responsibility to reach out to those who care about you. Don’t talk about your circumstances, unless you want to. Instead use this time to laugh – create new memories.
You know many of the steps ahead. You know it’s time to find strength, pull up your bootstraps, get out of bed and start down a new road. You know you do have friends and family who are supportive of you and have said, “Call me”. You know they mean well, but you just really don’t want to bother them. You are feeling a little overwhelmed with the details of this new stage, maybe really wanting to just hide under the covers, hoping this will all disappear; things will be back to “normal” after a short nap. So much to organize; so many details.
You’ve suffered a loss – the answer is Life!
You plan and create your new Life!
Carolyn Bates, principle coach for Coaching Life Design, specializes in life transitions and the challenges of those 50+. International Coach Federation Certified Personal Life Coach, expert author and teleclass leader.
“Who are You and What do you Want” - Using this assessment, you will discover what you need to complete in your life for today, while creating a vision and a path to your future.
For more information, please visit her website at www.coachinglifedesign.com
carolyn@coachinglifedesign.com