The Practice
As the spring weather continues to shift and the end of this school year approaches, the recognition that change is on the horizon can be exciting for some, terrifying for others, and subtly unsettling for many. Change is inevitable. A minor change to a bedtime routine can produce a major meltdown. A relationship can change, leading to a complex mix of emotions that one isn’t quite sure how to process. A change in one’s habits can lead to a new and enriching perspective.
Acceptance is not a magic wand that will stop change from happening, but practicing it as a skill can give us the ability to recognize change and work with it rather than against it. Setting aside time to reflect on the changes that occur all around us can help us reconcile with and appreciate the evolving flow of our lives. Part of this process can involve acknowledging what you can control and letting go of what you can’t. Cultivating curiosity about change can also help us become more excited about the novelty we encounter. Creating a framework for this reflection, whether it is a mindful moment in the morning, a game that is a jump-off point for considering change, a dinner time conversation, or a bedtime contemplation, can be powerful. In fact, here are four options for doing just that:
The Language
Morning Mindful Moment: I know it can be challenging when we have so much new stuff going on in our lives. One helpful practice is to remember to acknowledge what we can control and to let go of what we can’t. Let’s think about a big change that is happening and see if we can identify what we can control [our own behavior and attitude, remembering to wear our lucky red socks…] and practice letting go of what we can’t change [someone else’s behavior or attitude, the weather…]. If we want to add in a breathing component to really embody letting go, on every exhalation visualize how it feels to let go and float freely like a balloon.
Change Two Things: Let’s practice our powers of observation with a game called Change Two Things. We’ll spend thirty seconds studying each other so we have a complete mental picture. Then we’ll turn around and change two things about appearance that won’t be too obvious. We’ll turn back around and see if we can notice the changes!
Dinner Convo: Today was a big day! When there is a lot of change happening at once it can be helpful to talk about all that excitement. What is one thing that happened today that was different than usual? What is one thing you are excited about for tomorrow? Is there anything that is making you nervous that you want to strategize for? Let’s make a plan for approaching it with curiosity and courage.
Bedtime Contemplation: Did you know that when you are sleeping your brain spends some time going over all the things that happened to you during the day and sorting them into memories? Let’s help our brains out by getting a jump start on that sorting. Is there anything that happened to you today that has never happened before? We can help make that a brand new memory. Maybe something brand new will happen again tomorrow!
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