Who Will You Be on the Other Side of the Door?

I get a feeling we are ready to experience a change very soon. What is on the other side of the door? What will be awaiting us?

I have been asking myself, “How am I going to be different?” For the past few weeks, I have been saying, “How am I going to make it through these weeks?” Maybe the better thing I could be asking myself is “What are these past weeks going to make of me? What happens now? What happens next when we go through that door of change? 

Have you have been saying, “I can’t wait for things to get back to normal.” I know I have a lot. What if instead of getting back to normal we decide what is going to be different. What if normal holds us back from what we could become? What if normal is a bad word and we should instead say, “What will I become that is extra-ordinary?” What if we say, “I can’t wait to become better because of this because…” or “I want to be different because of this.”

I don’t want to re-enter the world that same person as I was in February. I want to be different. I want to come out on the other side of the door stronger. Stronger because I had to sacrifice, endure pain and become uncomfortable. I have felt sad, helpless and uncomfortable. I want to come out on the other side of the door more empathic because I personally watched people suffer physically, mentally and financially. 

I want to come out of the other side of the door kinder because I have found ways to connect with people in ways I have never before. I have listened better to people. I have reached out to people in better ways than I had before. 

I want to come out on the other side of the door as a contributor. I want to come out on the other side of the door as a better businessperson, a better problem solver and strategizer. I want to make my business stronger now than it was weeks ago. I want to be creative and help other women think outside the box to help them do the same thing. 

Recently I watched my husband pull our boat out and found a bunch of barnacles underneath. I was really surprised at how fast they attached. It has only been in the water a month or two and there were a lot of them. The truth is they could stay under there forever because no one can see them. What happens when they stay on is they impede the smoothness when you are sailing or gliding. They also aren’t good for the fiberglass. We are like those barnacles. There is a lot going on in our lives that others don’t see. There is a lot that needs to be taken care of because it isn’t good for us. They impede us and affect our mindset. What is under the surface really affects us. 

In this time of COVID-19, how can we let it transform us? By allowing it to strengthen us for what is on the other side of the door? There is going to be another big moment that will affect us. That is life, but lots of wonderful things can happen through struggle. We are more courageous, resilient and confident. We can begin to use outside-the-box thinking and prepare for the next big thing.

Eight questions to answer this week

Before we go through the door, let’s ask ourselves these questions:

• What are some things that need to change inside of me?
• What comfort zones do I need to get in the habit of leaving?
• What can I contribute to the world? What can I contribute to my world?
• What habits or characteristics need to be shaved off like the barnacles?
• Am I willing to be changed by this time?
• What is something positive that came out of this season?
• What is something new that I want to take with me as I go through the door?
• What will I be more sensitive about in the world?

The bottom line is we should not let this season slip away from us without changing us. We need to allow it to change us and make us better. What is going to happen to you as you step on the other side of the door?