Finding Connection in Chaos

We are in the midst of cleaning, unpacking, designing, and trying to find grace and peace within the chaos of moving into our new home. I think being able to connect with your best self and find the gratitude in your life, while you are going through the most difficult times, is not only one of the hardest things to do but the most rewarding and healthy things one can do.

For me, it feels the stress and lack of control with moving started weeks ago with seemingly no end in sight. The purchase of a new home, packing, and then unexpectedly living out of a hotel for a week before moving into a fixer upper, left room for a lot of tension and also a lot of opportunity for growth. There were some tough moments (including a morning in urgent care to take a shard of glass out of my toe!), but by golly I am patting myself on the back for learning and finding some beauty throughout this process. Here are some ways I am getting through it.

1. Take time-outs from “work” and spend with loved ones. In our second day of unpacking, our family stopped and spent time outside picking oranges and making fresh orange juice together. I decided this will be a regular ritual we will make happen as often as possible.

2. Keep and make rituals. This is a great segue from #1 above, but make sure you keep some of the rituals you had in your life before the chaos began, and if you can't do that, get creative to find a new one.   I have started up my meditation again, and it LIFE CHANGING!  Our family also settled in to have our nightly dinner around the table as soon as we had a table to sit at.  

3. Nourish yourself with food and drink.  I’m talking about H2O and healthy food here!  Albeit a yummy sugary treat can feel really good after a long, hard day.  And I have been giving myself plenty of reasons to indulge in some dark chocolate.  ::)  Doing a million things at once takes a toll on your body.  Don’t stop feeding and watering your vessel even when it seems not very important compared to other things to do in life.  

4.  Connect to your space.  How does your home space nourish you?  Revel in that nourishment and support.  Breathe deeply and give thanks for the roof over your head, the comfort of your space, and anything else within your home that makes you feel special and supported.  I just did a burning ritual in my home and gave the ashes to our garden as a blessing and offering.  I felt immense connection to my home and garden with this practice.  I also take a moment to smile and breathe after I get one small space unpacked and cleaned in this new home....each completed space feels magical. 

I'm definitely not handling every moment of tension through this time with perfection, and I don't think we're supposed to; but I am taking plenty of moments to love it, grow from it, and breathe through it.  How do you find grace through your stressful life changes?