October 19, 2016
A few months ago my husband and I got the crazy idea that our life wasn’t busy enough and decided to undertake a major renovation. Don’t get me wrong, I am so excited for the final product.
But living through a renovation – a change – a transformation is hard.
You have to find the right people for the job, design the right plans, pick all your new features among a million options, deal with the unexpected and unplanned (like a hidden chimney behind a wall) and ensure everything comes together in the right order. All the while trying not to second guess your choices or be discouraged by the bumps along the way.
As I reflect on the work being done on my house, and the stages we have gone through for this transformation, I can’t help but think how similar it is to a personal transformation – both of the body and the mind:
- We have to chart a path of where we want to go —> create a plan
- We have to confront and tear down the old way of thinking and doing things —> go through demolition
- We have to make choices on what to surround ourselves with to ensure we stay on course —>select the features of your life
- We have to rebuild in a certain order to ensure it all comes together correctly —> have a long term view to avoid short term fixes
- We have to be prepared to face challenges, deal with mistakes and make course corrections along the way —> load up on grit
- We need a community of people to help us through it all —> accept that we need support
We are all works in progress. But, as we allow the work to happen, as we decide and commit to transformation, beautiful things begin to emerge.
