I think we can all agree… 2020 was an interesting year! We have faced a lot of changes over the last 12 months – a global pandemic, multiple lockdowns (and even more tiers), working from home, and trying to do karate lessons over Zoom! And throughout all that, Brexit and the US election were going on in the background.
Personally, I’ve found it quite difficult and had a few lows. Not seeing friends and family has been something that has affected me a great deal and not being able to train with my fellow karate-ka.
A family member was diagnosed with cancer and is recovering (fortunately), but I’m sad to say a friend lost her battle with cancer and passed away. On the flip side, I’ve recently found out that I’m going to be a dad... not only to one baby, but to twins! I mean, I can’t really swear, but you can guess what was going through my head when I first found out.
My point?
Change is inevitable and it can actually be a good thing
It’s human nature for us to avoid change. We like the comfortable, the reliable, the familiar. Anything that disrupts the norm scares us. Really it’s quite ironic that something we fear, is actually constant throughout life.
Everything, and I mean everything, changes. From the weather, to the government, relationships and even our bodies – and I’m not even mentioning those extra few pounds we’ve I’ve put on during lockdown! Even on a cellular level, we are never actually the same person from one year to another. Our cells are constantly dying, but they are replaced with everything we eat, drink, breathe in, and surround ourselves with.
Don’t believe me? Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqJWSyUbmkw&feature=emb_logo
Our thoughts and feelings change too, multiple times throughout the day, so change is all around us (sound like a song you know?!) How many times has something out of your control changed, and you’ve thought to yourself ‘how am I going to deal with this?’ I’m guessing a lot, right?
Karate also changes. Some classes have had to adapt and go online. Our bodies change, meaning we can no longer kick to the head without warming up for at least one hour beforehand (handy should you get into a fight... I'll talk about that in another post).
The answer?
Be kind to yourself (and others) and try to embrace change. It’s only by doing this, that we will expand our thinking and push out of our comfort zones. It’s here that we find out who we really are and what we are truly capable of. After all, you never know where it might lead.
Jez
Check out this blog from Headspace on handling change: