Yesterday was really hard for me. I had a migraine, which, for me, involves strobe/blackout vision. Then it kind of just turns into mind-fogginess and headache for a couple days. And, I was scurrying to get new samples ready for a photo shoot and my machine would not work correctly. The samples were not happening. I was SO FRUSTRATED. My colleague looked at me and said “It looks like your work day is over”. I had to cancel the photo shoot, admit defeat, and leave in a haze of uncertainty. I didn’t know if I could fix this problem with the machine (and I’m still not sure how I’ll do it). But, then I thought back to my past struggles. Struggles that were just as hard and overwhelming several years ago as this one is now. But, most of the biggest struggles I can think of (especially in my businesses) are now things that seem easy to me. When I was working through them, I was frantic, lost, in complete disbelief that I could solve them…even ready to QUIT! But, now I think most of those challenges are simple. They are simply replaced by new and greater challenges. So, I decided to think of this machine like I would probably view it in several years. I will figure something out (still not sure what yet), and someday I will look back and remember that THIS time I didn’t despair. This time I remembered what I had been capable of in the past. And, I simply chose to push through it.
Dealing with a diagnosis of a loved one can be the same way. I remember how I was in the early days of my children’s Scoliosis diagnosis. I was frantic, lost, confused, not sure how we would proceed. And, now, looking back, I can see all that I’ve learned and I feel confident that, no matter what the next appointment brings, we will have a solution. Just remember, if you are new to this – it gets easier. It gets better. It may not ever be EASY, but life will one day return to a comfortable rhythm. You WILL discover your plan through this and you WILL work through it – have confidence in yourself and, when all else fails, think like your future self – “c’mon, we got this…one foot in front of the other”.
