Grief and Growth

A Summer of Growth

I was reflecting on the last 7 weeks, on the long stretch of summer holidays. Thinking about everything that has happened and it struck me that it has been another period of personal growth. That an awful lot of learning and expansion took place over a very short space of time. 

First there was academic learning and achievement. 

I embarked on studying for a new qualification earlier this year and was thrilled to hear last week that I had passed it and become certified. The area of expertise is Emotional Intelligence and I am very excited to be introducing even more of this work into my coaching practice. Much more coming from me on the fascinating topic of EQ shortly. 

Then there was going beyond my natural comfort zone.

I’m not sure I’ve been interviewed for over 15 years! So to be  invited to be interviewed for an expert opinion by a journalist from The Guardian AND to then be asked to interview for a freelance coach position for an amazing organisation was a little daunting. The first interview saw me hiding from the children in a dear friend’s bedroom whilst the second was held over a pretty sketchy internet connection whilst on holiday in Cornwall. Neither situation ideal but that is life and I am happy to report that the outcomes for both were better than expected :-)

The summer juggle also taught me more about flexibility, about letting go, about making good choices and prioritising. It taught me to be in the moment and enjoy the play when it is playtime and get stuck into the work at work time. It reminded me about boundaries and focus. 

And finally the summer was a period of huge loss. For my family and for close friends. From seemingly nowhere came waves of devastating news and yet from this grief also comes growth. I am taught to live life now, not wait for a future that I may not even have. To stop worrying about the small stuff that doesn’t matter. To notice what is going on for those I love and care about. To create time to be there for them. To tell them I love them. To live life with no regrets.  To look after my mental health as much as my physical health. To know when to ask for help, when I can’t do it all alone. To appreciate all that this life gives me. Every single day.

In every experience there is a chance to grow, to learn, to move forward. It has definitely been a summer of huge growth.