I have just survived my third summer in Florida. And though I might enjoy Florida during the other parts of the year, I one-hundred percent hate it here during the summer. I do not shy away from sharing my passionate dislike of the Florida heat with others and I have always been met with encouraging support that I will acclimate and get used to it. I'll be honest, after the second summer here, I wasn't buying the idea that I could ever become acquainted with this humidity that seems to suck the water right out of me. But as the summer is winding down and we are off into September, I am realizing that this summer didn't feel so bad. I didn't seem to mind it as much as in the past. I'm sure my husband would agree that my temperament wasn't as cranky this summer as it was last.
Some might say I've grown used to the heat and maybe that's true. But I have also spent the last three years adjusting and readjusting to survive the Florida summers. I learned early on that my outdoor walks need to be kept to early mornings or indoor walking paths. I learned my water intake wasn't enough to keep up with the humidity and I began adding in electrolytes to help my body replenish. I even paid the price of skipping on visits to Disney, to avoid being in the heat for long periods of time. My point is, I had to adapt and adjust to the weather here or I would be suffering natural consequences.
And this isn't much different than other areas of our lives. We go through changes or loss that requires us to adapt. Maybe it's a job change, a move, a new boss at work, or a loss of a loved one. Maybe it's changes we all go through together like the pandemic or changes in technology. Life shifts and changes come at us regularly, I don't think that's going to stop anytime soon. The best thing we can do is adapt quickly and adapt well. If you are a fan of the sitcom FRIENDS, a scene with the word "pivot!" might come to mind. What that scene displayed so beautifully was that no matter how much someone yelled "pivot!" if there was no clear direction on where or how to pivot or no room to pivot, then everything would come crashing down. The same is true for us. When changes come, we need clear direction on how the change will impact us, and how we need to pivot, and we need the space to move with the changes.
If you are going through a season of change or feel stuck in the process, ask yourself if you have clear direction and space to move with the changes. If the answer is no, then begin the process of discovering what you need so that you can adapt well and make room for the pivot.
Comments