Embrace Change...
As I reflect on these past six months, there has been tumultuous change — some good, some really hard. As a Seven on the Enneagram, my personality is wired to avoid pain or emptiness and distract myself with fun.
Typically, I would have filled all the painful, lonely times with busyness and frantic scheduling so I wouldn’t have to feel the hurt and rejection of my break-up, or the sadness and loss of becoming an empty-nester. But instead of running away from the hurt, this time I turned towards it. And rather than hiding or fighting it, I decided to hold hands with it, even bring it into my arms and hold it. When that wave of sadness overtakes me, I let it be what it is — heartbreak, loneliness, uncertainty — knowing that it is an important part of growing and learning.
The truth is embracing change, especially the difficult parts, makes my life more interesting. Nobody wants to hear about a person who’s never overcome any obstacles or faced any challenges or desperately avoids feeling the pain of loss and betrayal. Embracing change moves our lives and stories forward. In the end, I’m so grateful for the goodbyes because they also bring hellos.
For me, this new season means I’m preparing to say “goodbye” to my youngest son as he leaves for college. I have conflicted feelings. Some days I cry because I’m going to miss him and a huge part of what has made up my identity and purpose will be gone. Goodbye, Weston! I love you. I’m so thankful for who you are and are becoming.
Yet on other days, I’m so excited. I will drop him off in Arizona and a week later, I’ll fly to Croatia with a group of friends. Then to Italy, Spain, Portugal, back to Spain and home. Hello, new adventure!
This upcoming trip is an intimate trip with a few close friends where we will celebrate a special birthday. I’m not leading a tour, but I will be taking notes along the way for possible tours in the future! You can join me on my adventure by watching my Instagram @justelidaart or Facebook Elida Field and Elida Art Studio and Gallery.
I’ll be gathering information and sharing some tips and tricks along the way. Our release dates for Italy Tours are coming up soon, so don’t miss the opportunity to travel with us in 2023. To stay in the loop, sign up here for the latest travel news.
And remember,
“If we never say ‘goodbye,’ we can never say ‘hello!’”
