Filling the Gap

Is something pushing you, pressing on your heart to look at your life? A change at work. Recovering from illness or surgery. A recent move. An empty next. Retirement. Divorce.

If something has shifted you from a full, fast-paced schedule into something much different, maybe it’s time to take a deeper look at what might be going on.

It’s surprising how quickly we become accustomed to constant movement. We become so accustomed to steady rushes of adrenaline that if we slow down or even stop, we don’t know what to do with ourselves.

We can feel so unsettled, we might even think something is really missing. We’ve even given it an acronym - FOMO. The Fear Of Missing Out.

But what often enters in the absence of that frenetic pace is something else entirely. Quiet. Space. And sometimes, we mistake that space for boredom. The quiet feels like a void and causes us to wonder:

• What do I do now?

• Who am I when I’m not moving at that same speed? It’s how I’ve lived for so long that that is where I’m comfortable. The busyness of life, even with chaos, feels more normal.

• How do I fill the void so I’m not lonely?

As you think about this, consider:

• What am I used to doing that kept me constantly moving and how does it feel not to be in that rhythm?

• Where in my life am I trying to fill space quickly, and what might happen if I didn’t?

• What can I do with the time I now have to focus on me, the things I want in my life?

Feel free to leave your comments!

Until next time…