Life has a funny way of shaking things up, doesn’t it? Just when we think we’re settled, just when everything seems perfectly in line, life throws us an unexpected curve ball. It might be a change we didn’t ask for—a sudden shift, a setback, or even a loss that leaves us questioning everything. I know that feeling well, and I've come to believe that these unexpected changes, as uncomfortable as they may be, often hold the seeds of our greatest growth.
There was a time when I thought I had my life mapped out. I was ticking all the boxes: running my own teaching academy, engaging in my community, and raising my family. I had a vision for the life I wanted, and I was making it happen. But sometimes, no matter how carefully we plan, life has a way of taking us in a completely different direction.
For me, that change came in the form of a health crisis. It forced me to slow down, pause, and look at life through a whole new lens. I couldn’t carry on at the same pace, and I had to face parts of myself and my life that I’d been too busy to confront. Looking back now, I see that those quiet moments of discomfort, the nights spent wondering “Why me?” were where the real growth began.
Redefining Change as a New Beginning
When you’re in the middle of an unexpected change, it’s natural to feel resistance, frustration, and sometimes even anger. But what if we saw these moments differently? What if, instead of just seeing what we’ve lost, we could open ourselves to what these changes might bring? It’s a subtle shift in mindset, but it can transform everything. These changes can help us ask new questions: What is this situation here to teach me? How can I make something meaningful out of it?
I’m not saying it’s easy. I’d be lying if I said I embraced my health crisis with open arms and a smile! The journey was difficult, full of moments that felt like steps backward. But in that time of reflection and forced slowness, I discovered something precious: a chance to reconnect with my own values, to define success on my terms, and to find new ways to grow, even in the face of obstacles.
Resilience: Building Strength Through Setbacks
There’s something truly transformative about resilience. Resilience isn’t about denying the pain or hardship; it’s about acknowledging it and finding a way forward despite it. Sometimes, it’s about letting yourself feel all the uncomfortable emotions and then, slowly, gently, starting to imagine a new path.
We talk a lot about resilience these days, but true resilience is deeply personal. For me, it was about accepting the limitations my body was placing on me and choosing to redefine what “success” meant in my life. It wasn’t easy to let go of that old vision of what I thought I “should” be doing. Yet, through small steps and patience with myself, I began to build something new—something perhaps even more meaningful than what I’d left behind.
Finding Growth in the Unplanned
One of the hardest parts of an unexpected life change is feeling like everything is out of your control. But within this lack of control, there’s an invitation to explore new parts of yourself. There’s a powerful shift that happens when we start to look at our challenges not just as obstacles but as opportunities for growth.
So, if you’re in the middle of an unexpected life change right now, know that you’re not alone. These moments, as tough as they feel, may open doors to strength and resilience you didn’t know you had. You might just discover something about yourself that surprises you—something that allows you to move forward with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity.
As we move through life’s unexpected detours, we may not always get to choose the path, but we can choose to learn and grow from wherever we find ourselves. Embracing change means honouring where we are now and allowing ourselves to create something beautiful, something real, out of whatever life throws our way.
If you’re ready to explore this topic further, tune in to this week’s episode of Unpacked: a Frank Conversation, where we dive deeper into the journey of finding strength through life’s twists and turns. Let's unpack this together, one step at a time.
https://youtu.be/e2gTlJabaHw?si=MQJ2O3Ftpsn7cmAy You Tube Video of the episode
https://open.spotify.com/episode/09bxHhefyt6Qs1zeFwqYmz?si=hB15ci5CQWGouf61orieow Episode on Spotify
