GPS Required: Stick Through the Reliance
Ezekiel walked into daycare by himself last Thursday.
That day I also made it to his daycare, and then to my new office, without the help of GPS.
Our recent move back to Minnesota from Florida has been much easier than the reverse direction we went in 2 years ago. At that time, at least for me, everything was new.
Naples, FL was a foreign land.
Julie, where the heck is a gas station around here?
Where do we grocery shop?
Is there a place to get coffee around here?
Like I said, everything was new. Even the little things.
And, maybe that is the most cumulatively stressful part of something new—of change: we develop a deep need for reliance just to navigate the day-to-day.
I’m one who has an aversion to reliance—especially on GPS.
In Naples, at the start, GPS was an oxygen mask for a long time.
Eventually the mask came off.
In time, I learned to navigate my way through Naples without much effort.
Julie and I—and eventually Ezekiel—all settled into a routine.
Reliance disappeared.
Although Minnesota has been home to Julie and me for a long time, this move back hasn’t been without that same need for reliance.
We’re in a new area of St. Paul.
Ezekiel’s daycare—and my office—is in an area of the Twin Cities we’re unfamiliar with.
And, for our son, this is a foreign land.
In Naples, Ezekiel eventually got to a point where he loved going into daycare.
Ready to go see Ms. Erica?
His eyes would widen with excitement and he’d nod his head.
Let’s go! It’s time to go see your friend, Reilly.
Ezekiel would repeat the name and run to the door.
Moving back to Minnesota, he lost all that, and the change has been hard. As a parent, it rips my heart out when I have to drop him off after he’s clinging tightly to me walking into a new building, asking for “mom”, and crying as I pass him over to his teacher.
Change is hard.
We develop a need for reliance.
I got in the car last Thursday and forced myself to not use GPS.
I know how to get there.
We got out of the car that day and Ezekiel pointed to the church as I set him down on the ground with no resistance.
Wow, this is a good sign.
Without asking, Ezekiel started walking to the door.
“Okay, here’s the fob so we can get in.” He eagerly grabbed it.
We walked in and immediately pointed to the chapel. The day before he was in there dancing to music.
“Eh!” (His word of recognition—excitement.)
He waved to Ms. Joan and then beelined to his classroom.
I think we’re going to make it.
And we did—both of us. Seamless from start to finish.
Not a single tear.
A happy wave from the window as I turned back while walking to my car.
And as I put my car in park at the parking lot of my new office that I got to through my own navigation devices, I gave a little fist bump—no more reliance.
Change is hard.
And that, at the core, is what goals are all about.
Changing the you of today into the you that you see for yourself tomorrow.
At the outset, goals require a heavy dose of reliance.
GPS is a must.
And that can feel like you aren’t making any progress.
You are.
But, you have to be willing to stick with it to fully realize this progress.
While you’re doing so, attend to your surroundings.
Because, at some point, you’ll force yourself to take the risk to drop the GPS and you’ll…
…surprise yourself and others!
