New.

Have you ever started something new? Did you expect it to go smoothly? You planned and prepared ahead of time. You thought with all that preparation it would go well. Maybe a small bump here or there. But for the most part you would sail right on in to the “new.”

Ha.

Despite planning, prepping and feeling ready, I have yet to do anything new that goes “to plan.” There are always hidden obstacles. Things I did not expect. Hurdles that loom three-stories tall and miles-wide. Pits to drop into without warning.

I thought I was ready! I thought I planned it all out. I thought this would be the thing I would do that would go off without a hitch.

Ha. Ha.

If I were my own best friend I would remind myself new is hard. New is uncomfortable. New is lots of little leaps of faith, over and over. New is exciting. New is exhilarating.

New is also tiring. New is “urggh.” New requires rest. It requires space. It requires time. It requires self care.

I am in the midst of “new” right now and it’s bringing out all sorts of uncomfortable, squirmy feelings. But if I take deep breaths. If I’m gentle (yet firm) with myself. If I celebrate the small wins and keep nudging my way over the obstacles and climbing out of the pits. If I do all this and give myself a little extra time to process. To rest. To go for a walk. To kickbox. To paint. To sing. Well, “new,” while being a hard place to be in is also bearable. And fun. And exciting.

Have you faced anything new recently? Did you choose the new or did it chose you? Do you get the internal, squirmy, urghh feeling too, when you’ve had too much new? Are you taking care of yourself? “New” can be a hard place to be. Don’t forget to give yourself a little love for doing something new (whether you chose to be there or not)!