Springing forward makes me grumble. I would prefer to keep my hour and my extra daylight in the morning. However, it seems that so many others love the longer daylight. While I know I’m not alone in my grumbling (there are others of us out there), I also know that changing times (whether in the Fall or Spring, or even when traveling to different time zones) creates challenges for many of us, especially for parents with young children. I remember the days when my children said it was impossible to be bedtime because it was still light outside! Or, when they were extra grumpy the next morning because of a lack of sleep. But eventually, after a day (or several), they adapted. We helped our children adapt when we kept similar routines, in spite of the changes. We helped them adapt when we showed them we were okay with the change. And we helped them adapt when we looked for ways to take advantage of the change.
There are so many changes in life that happen over which we, and especially our children, have no control. The clock changing is just one more situation where I can grumble, focus on what was “taken away” from me, and make everyone around me miserable. Or, I can choose instead to focus on the change as a challenge, to look at what was “given me”, to look for opportunities to make adjustments that will make my life better, or to simply enjoy the evening strolls when the days are longer.
What changes are you currently facing? Are you busy focusing on your lack of control, or your sense of loss? Is it possible to shift your focus and look for the gifts within the change? Are you able to find ways to improve your life, or increase your joy, during this time of change? As always, we’d love to hear from you! Let us know what gifts you find within the change in your life!
