Debby Does…

I’ve not been shy about sharing my journey of the past five (maybe it’s ten) years. And, while I won’t bore you with the details, from 2016 to today, my life has featured the constant upheaval of change. Some of the change was purposeful and happy, while other changes were simply devastating. Change is life. I guess once you stop changing, you’re dead.

So, as I sit here eating a lovely chicken sandwich on an everything bagel, I’m giving myself a thumbs up, a pat on the back, and a participation certificate with a gold star. Not only have I accepted unwanted change with as much grace as I could muster, I have also taken stock of my life and created change to help me grow.

Well done, dear Debby.

Change, especially drastic, is not easy. There are lots of bumps and bruises, both figurative and literal, that come with it. When I look back on last summer, with our massive home renovation in a new town that required us to move with our dogs into 10 temporary housing situations, I’m not sure how I survived. Actually, vodka had a lot to do with that.

Every time I turned around, I was starting over. There were constant “make it work” moments and more than a few complete meltdowns. Still, a year later, it’s almost a faint memory and something else to check off the survival of life list.

I’m in the midst of a another new opportunity here in Bloomington, and it has some challenges, for sure. Instead of just shaking my head and complaining to my husband about it, I’ve decided to embrace my assertiveness. If I’m big and bad enough to move half way across the country and start my life over, I’m probably equipped to send an email to a group of people and let them know that they could make things easier for me with a few small changes. I can’t expect them to know unless I tell them.

That’s big for me.

Brené Brown says, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

I’ve always been good at showing up, but that last part has flummoxed me on many occasions. That requires a different kind of change, but one that I’m ready to make. I can stop twisting and bending to someone else’s version of Debby and put the real one on full display—maybe with less belching and profanity, though.

Change comes in all shapes and sizes and the courage to make those changes is to be commended. What change have you embraced lately? What changes are looming on your horizon? How do you help those around you adapt to the ways in which you change?

All good questions. Lots to think about it.

I think I’ll change my clothes (see what I did there?) and let myself have a quiet afternoon for a change (more). Dinner is done, I’ve crossed virtually everything off my to do list, and I’ve got a little orange dog that would like a snuggle.

Let’s do that.