Change is good… Change is healthy… Change is welcomed… But if we are being honest, sometimes change is really, really hard!
So it is month 5 on the World Race. I am living in several different villages around the town of Estcourt, South Africa with a brand new team called the Thunderbirds. #grease
– Abigail Sheckells
– Jackie Halyard
– Jillian Martinelli
– Lindsey Moore
– Lauren Fogarty
– Britney Meyer
<< team changes usually occur 3 or 4 times while on the race. It’s a normal thing. They do it to challenge the racers and allow room for more growth >>
We are partnering with an organization called Zimele, which works to empower women with the skills, resources, and support networks to start businesses and social service projects to sustain themselves, their families and their communities. The Thunderbirds are living together in several different homes throughout these communities and basically just doing life with each other.
http://www.zimelecommunity.co.za
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So back to change… Change has been an overwhelming feeling the past couple of days as I’m still trying to adjust to everything. New teams/people, new foods, new language, new environment, new EVERYTHING! I always thought that I was okay with change… and I usually am. I just don’t think that I’ve ever experienced this much change in such a short amount of time. I really have no idea how to even begin to adjust. I feel like I’m just awkwardly waiting for things to go back to how they were. I still miss being in Central America and being able to communicate with my little bit of Spanish, eating foods I could pronounce, and just doing life with the Pearls (my old team). Right now, that sounds like heaven. I just miss being comfortable and feeling like I could really just be myself.
It feels like I’m back to month 1 on the race. Like I don’t really know how to act, I don’t really know any of my teammates, I’m just uncomfortable again… which is seriously the worst. It’s like I’m starting all over again.
I had it really great the first 4 months of my race. We were in somewhat familiar territory in Central America, we always had great living conditions and food, and I seriously had the dream team. From the very beginning in October when I was put on team Worthy Pearls, there was just something super special and just natural about our team. We all clicked very well and had sooo much fun together.
But that’s all gone! It’s in the past! It’s just a memory! *more dramatic sayings!
But this isn’t about me not liking my new team, because they really are great. I love them. I’m going to learn so much from them and have tons of fun. This is more about how I realized that maybe I’m not okay with change as much as I thought I was. Which is definitely something I’m going to have to deal with for the rest of the race and I guess the rest of my life. That yes, change can really suck, but it really is good for your soul!
And as much as this sounds like a blog about me complaining about change (which it kinda is), I really do understand that change is sometimes needed. I know that the Lord has huge things planned for me in this new chapter of my life. I know that I’m going to grow. I know that I’m going to love my new team. I know that I’ll cry. I know that I’ll cry laughing. I know that I’ll be challenged. I know that it won’t always be okay. I know that I’ll receive feedback. I know that I’ll have fun. I know that I’ll learn. I know that I’ll try new things. I know that I’ll need my new team to support me. I know that my old team will always be there for me. But most importantly, I know that I’m where I’m supposed to be, and as weird and uncomfortable as it feels right now, I know that it’s going to be okay.
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates
