What stayed the same through extraordinary times?

I hear continual narratives about what has changed as a result of covid-19, the lockdown and the grim reality of loss of life on a scale that is hard to imagine. This is natural. Much of ‘normal’ life has been turned inside out and upside down. Many familiar cues have been removed, what was certain now seems much less reliable.

In this context, I sat down to look at my five year professional intentions, written late last year. I did so expecting to need to re-focus, and make adjustments given how much the world has, and will continue to change.

I was very surprised to find that this was not the case. I found that not one of my long term intentions for my practice had changed. I still intend to focus on embodied authenticity and holistic being in my work. I still wish to create a vibrant, open and enjoyable working life. Getting more detailed, my wish continues to be that I am a confident and busy clinical supervisor, a successful relationship specialist, and part of a thriving peer network. I also still aim to have my practice full of private clients, and to be well-known in my field of work.

I really had to reflect on what was happening here. How can so much have changed, and yet so much be the same? Timeframe is of course a factor, although less than I imagined. Also, intentions are not the same as specific goals, and the mode of delivering some of my intentions will doubtless be different than it would have been.

This said, I think there’s an important insight in a review of this kind. Who we are, what we value, and how we wish to show up in the world, does not change depending on whether we are able to go out and work in the way we usually would, or whether we can sit down face to face with friends.

If you, like me and so many others, are struggling with the changes life has brought recently, perhaps some time reflecting on what remains the same, and what you want to have happen, would be a good tonic. Difference can be so very challenging; familiarity and a sense of what is evolution rather than revolution is a helpful different perspective.