Change is hard. Even when it’s change for the good! I’ve been AWOL from this blog for months because of big changes in my life. I closed down my little solo office downtown and relocated to an office space I share with 4 other psychologists. There are so many ways that this change is good:
– I have the wonderful opportunity to do psychological testing, which for logistical reasons was hard to get off the ground when I was solo.
– I am busier than ever (I like busy).
– I’m close to the growing edges of Lubbock and less than 15 minutes from home.
– I work with a great group of professionals now, and don’t feel so isolated.
But you know, even this positive change has been hard. I am loving the testing side of my practice, but I felt rusty and more than a little anxious about it. It is so important to me that my clients get the very best care I can give, a desire that led to a lot of tension and jitters. I had to get used to new routines. Sometimes I couldn’t even find my stuff. For awhile, I really struggled with my own practice of mindfulness and acceptance.
You may be going through some big changes right now. They may be good – like a new relationship, pregnancy, or a newborn. They may be hard to accept – like infertility, pregnancy loss, a broken relationship, or a job loss. Either way, give yourself some time to get used to the new normal. Be in the moment and stop trying to jump ahead “to the good part.” Be in the moment and let go of brooding about the past.
Or maybe you are going through little changes that are adding up. Remember the old saying about the straw that broke the camel’s back? It’s a metaphor for all those little things adding up to something really big. Last week my (dear, dear) husband pulled the spray nozzle at the kitchen faucet right out of its housing. After he got the water turned off underneath the sink, it was no big deal … except we couldn’t wash dishes, or even run the dishwasher, for 5 days. Little things add up.
I’ve been at my current location for almost 5 months now. Really, it doesn’t even count as my “new” office anymore! Yet here I am, writing my first blog post since the move. The hiatus from writing was one way I could be kind to myself. While I love to write, even things you love can become just too much. It’s OK to put things on hold while you adjust to change … you’ll come back to them later, when you’re ready.
ABOUT ME
I’m Dr. Kimberly Thompson, a clinical psychologist with a maternal mental health practice in Lubbock, TX. From pre-conception to the empty nest, mothers can work with me in-person and online. Download my free e-book, The Busy Mom’s Self-Care Planner, and bring yourself into your circle of care. You can also find my book, Perfect Mothers Get Depressed, on Amazon and the Praeclarus Press website.
