Keep my emotional balance
— Vicktor Frankl
When I saw the Blog of the Month theme, I thought, oh my, what am I going to write about. It's been a while since I stopped making a list of goals at the beginning of the year. And it's not that I don't like to plan; on the contrary, I love to plan.
I worked for years in planning in the corporate world when I was younger, so strategic planning and budgeting were my day-to-day life. Also, in my personal life, I loved making plans.
But plans can always be affected by many variables. In my case, my life in many aspects turned out to be very different from what I once planned, in a good measure affected by the circumstances of my environment and what happened in Venezuela. What we have lived through in this country was so unpredictable that it was impossible to foresee when I was in my 20s. And a person like me, who used to like to plan down to the smallest detail, learned to adapt to the changes; there was no other way out if I wanted to survive the circumstances with a minimum of sanity. So for years, I got used to the fact that my plans are on a very short-term and I constantly renew them, and when you live in Venezuela, a year is a long time, the unforeseen events that can occur are many, and I have learned from the experience.
And in these years, I've learned that some changes are opportunities, and some aren't, but in both cases, the most important thing is always our attitude towards them. How we face them and, in some cases, be willing to reinvent ourselves along the way to survive the change. And in all this time and despite some battles on a personal level, I have managed to achieve an emotional balance with myself and with my closest loved ones.
However, this year is full of challenges to that precious emotional balance. This year my son is leaving for college, and as much as my heart wants to keep him close to us. Rationally, I know it's best for him to go study abroad; the opportunities here are not what they used to be when I was young. And he's doing everything he can to go, and I know, because he's even more determined than I am, which I am quite a bit by the way, that if he doesn't make it this year, it will be the next. So that's a significant change in my life, not only because I'll have him away but because we'll have to adjust to being two and not three on a day-to-day basis. And it's been so long since we've been just two that I don't even remember how it feels. I know it's the law of life, the natural process, but I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that I'm terrified of change and what it might mean for the first time in a long time.
When I think about what is coming, I feel as if I've been playing Jenga with my emotions in the last few years. Despite all the changes I have had, not only because of the environment but also personally, the tower that has been forming, despite some pieces being removed and putting others, has been relatively stable without wobbling. But this time, the changes coming are pieces that could threaten the tower's stability.
So I guess this year I do have one big, single item on my bucket list for 2022 and that is to end the year with my emotional balance intact and the tower upright and wobble-free.
This is my out-of-competition post for the Silver Bloggers community #BOM; remember you still have time to participate until tomorrow, Tuesday 25 January, at midnight UTC. You can check instructions and prizes at A New Year, a new approach: Introducing the Blog of the Month.
Thanks for reading!
January 24, 2022
Congratulations @coquicoin! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 1000 comments.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP
To support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Check out the last post from @hivebuzz:
It must be really emotionally challenging, my friend, your son moving away from home. But I believe that you will be able to adapt to the changes that come and will keep the tower you have built through the years safe, stable, and sound :)
Thank you, sis! I hope I will 😘
Yes it will be a big year for you Eli, just remember that we are here to help you. Suddenly just being the two as opposed to the three for the last 17 years or so will be a shock to the system, and your mothering will be in other areas. I know you will be balanced though, as you are a fantastic person.
Oh, thank you, Ed! I really appreciate it. And I like how you picture it as a shock to the system, and sure it will be. You are so kind and a fantastic person too 🤗
Always a pleasure Eli, I have know plenty women go through what you are about to, so my ear and shoulder will always be available 🤤
I'll keep that in mind, Ed ;)
Please do EliCat :)
Mental health is very essential these days, amiga! Love this!
Thanks, amiga! I was worried when I saw the downvote, but I guess it was a mix-up, xoxo
oh was it a downvote, amiga? must be a mix-up. I'm sorry! I gotta check. Xoxo. Just saw it was. Now, it's fixed. Must be my migraine earlier. Again sorry, it was an accident ♡♡♡
It's okay amiga! I know it was an accident. I hope your migraine is gone 😘
Xoxoxo much love, amiga ♡
Downvoting a friend??? Very confusing I must say!
It was an accident, @lizelle 🙏 It's now fixed ♡
I know the feeling when our children leave home to find their own way in the world. Wishing your son well in his new journey and you as well with your goal of finding emotional balance 🤗
Thank you, Lizelle! I know you've been there. 🤗
Yay! 🤗
Your content has been boosted with Ecency Points, by @coquicoin.
Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!
Support Ecency
Vote for new Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more
I still wonder what life can be like where you are and I still wonder why this is happening. I wonder, having lived for over 40 years in a cruel communist dictatorship. I also know that there are still many ways to have a good life, beyond all the deprivations. I like that you don't complain and, I'm sure, are optimistic about your future. I wish you a pleasant life as a couple and an easy adjustment for your son away from home. I am still optimistic that better days are ahead for us in the future!
Thank you so much for your kind wishes! I do believe too better days are ahead.
Life here may not be as bad as some think and definitely worse than many would have you believe. But the truth is that they stole the country from the new generations.
I too keep asking myself how this happened and continues to happen, but there is no single answer to that question and none that for me justifies it, but you can understand that, after having lived so many years in a fierce communism. Thank you very much for stopping by!