2020 did not seem like a great year to be making major changes. Moving back home to California this year was a huge step for me, as I had been in Arizona for 16 years. The complication of the Coronavirus was unexpected and caused some twists and turns. Some people told me that maybe I should hold off on moving and starting my own counseling practice in California. Part of me was tempted to wait until things calmed down. Maybe once things were settled more, it would be easier to sell my house. Easier to move. Easier to set up my own business. Easier to find new clients. But when did life come with an expectation of things being easy?
Often, we think that life needs to be comfortable and simple to navigate. As we all know, rarely do things come so easily. Kids, Teens, Adults, & Families sometimes need to be reminded that it’s ok that life can be tough. That life is not always going to be easy. It kind of comes with the territory of being a human being. From a spiritual standpoint, when things are so difficult that we can see no way out, it reminds us to lean on the Lord more. God said, ‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10). Through all the changes of 2020, I’m trying to lean on God for guidance. To really know what it is to trust Him. Bad news or tough times can be especially difficult for kids and adolescents. While parents want to protect their children from pain, of course, it is good for parents to remind their kids that it’s part of life to go through something difficult. When adults help kids to see that challenges are normal, the child or teen will learn to see that these tough times are not necessarily “bad.” Instead, life’s complications – while certainly annoying, frustrating, and sometimes devastating – can help us to grow in lots of different ways.
I’m glad I chose to do the harder thing this year, despite the challenges that I faced along the way. I’d like to think that I have grown as a person as a direct result of these complicating times. So, here’s to finishing out 2020 farther along than we started 2020!
