Change Can Be A Challenge

And Not As Easy As It Seems

Photo by Simon Wilkes on Unsplash

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional,” says John C. Maxwell, an American author. It is a constant in our lives.

And as Dr. Seuss says

I was 82 years old and set in my ways as a wife of 63 years, working online and enjoying life. Then the unthinkable happened - almost overnight - my husband, Dan, came home after emergency abdominal surgery and a nine-day hospital stay, with his fragile memory irreparably damaged.

Change came slowly and steadily during the next four years; he lost ground, and I took on more until I couldn’t do anymore. Another set of changes occurred when he moved into a memory care facility for five months. I got a smaller apartment, learned about the finances, and made significant other changes.

All that was manageable - I accepted those new ways of being. It wasn’t until Dan’s death that changes smacked me in the face - so many adjustments all at once. I was no longer a wife; old habits and memories no longer applied; there was no we, and my rock was gone.

It’s been three years, and I still grapple with the changes - being solely responsible, having no one to snuggle with, and being my backup person.

I catch myself falling back on old, outdated habits that are no longer relevant to my life. But as I mentioned in the article How Excuses Get in the Way, I’m working on it.

Several websites offer ways to help people change, such as

• How to Change Your Life - 8 Steps

• How To Change Your Life For The Better – 33 Things You Can Do

• It’s time for a fresh start: How to embrace new beginnings at 50

I’m finding the first step is acceptance. More about that next week. The T.V. personality and author Dr. Phil had these words of wisdom.

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If you want to contribute to my work, consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.