Sometimes we know when the seasons of our lives are going to change — graduation at the end of the school year or baseball season in the spring.
Sometimes, our season comes to an unexpected and abrupt halt. It can be jarring. How you respond reveals a lot about how you may fare when the season next shifts, as it inevitably will.
The seasons of our lives change all the time, and not always on schedule. Take athletes. If an athlete suffers a torn ACL, it can be career-ending. Athletes don't know when — or if — it is going to happen. The smart ones prepare for the unknown.
Everyone goes through their own seasons of life. We can experience seasons in our friendships, family relationships, businesses, parenting, and even in our own ways of thinking and our belief systems. We can easily look back and see when we went through a season.
I often cite the example of the strong relationships we built with parents of our children’s friends throughout the school years. Our children are grown now, but you can apply this example to the coronavirus lockdown. Your children and their friends don't see each other as much. You probably no longer see those parents with the same frequency, or at all. Is the season of this parental bonding over, or are you going to keep your relationships with them? It's okay to recognize the season for what it was if the time for this relationship is now past.
How meaningful would it be to become aware of a season you’re in when you’re actually going through it? During the coronavirus lockdown, we have the chance to reflect and make some well-considered evaluations about the transitions we've experienced or may face in the future.
Even in this era of forced adaptations, when some changes may feel oppressive or scary, you have the ability to control your awareness and make this season into something wholly new and abundant. Start by reflecting on prior changes in the seasons of your life and how they affected you:
— What did you like and disllike when prior seasons shifted, and what you would have done differently?
— Were you bitter when the season ended, or were you grateful for the season itself?
— What fulfillment have you enjoyed by experiencing this unexpected season or watching others manage this change?
— What can you take from this season and use in the future?
A shift in perspective is a great way to recognize change not as loss but as growth.
If you are struggling or starting to feel a little defeated in this corona season, consider some steps you can take to adjust to your new normal. Scheduling conversations with people you miss or who can help you develop new perspectives; hold yourself accountable to finding something positive in the moment; take small steps to get back into routines. The season is going to shift soon — probably sooner than you think — and you don't want to be unprepared for version 2.0.