Well. Sometimes things really line up in weird but fascinating ways, y’know? For me, that’s always been the way it goes with this whole “one little word” thing. Sometimes things “click” early, and sometimes it takes awhile. But, eventually, things do (ahem) SHIFT into place.

text word SHIFT on kaleidoscope background

I think there was something in the air in August.

First, I read Ali Edwards’ One Little Word prompt for the month . . . Begin Again. Then, I received Brandi Kincaid’s monthly package of Extravagant Hope goodies . . . Begin Again. Even Yoga With Adriene’s monthly yoga theme for August was . . . Begin.

New starts were EVERYWHERE.

And it kind of gave me little tingles. Because you know what I was doing in August? I was beginning again . . . with my blog. And this seemed to be one of those “thin spots” in the universe for me. Very on-the-nose, sure. But it seemed too serendipitous to be accidental. And I took it as a sign, or a very specific message, that I was on the right path.

(Brandi Kincaid’s artwork)

You see, I’d been plotting and scheming and overthinking this blog thing for years. YEARS. I knew I needed to make a change, but I just didn’t know how . . . exactly . . . I wanted to do it. There are lots of things to think about and consider. And learn. (Mygod, so much to learn.) It’s a big project, actually. And it has been taking up a lot of the “real estate” in my brain for way too long.

This “blog-switch project” (as it has appeared on my to-do list for years now) was not related to my word SHIFT at all. But all that frustrating wheel-spinning I went through at the beginning of the year about what-was-shift-and-what-did-it-all-mean actually helped me settle in to the shifts involved in my (very overwhelming) blog-switch project. Eventually.

Although you could probably argue that my blog-switch has been a change, I would categorize it as . . . a shift. Sure, the name is different, but I consider it to be a shift, a natural progression in my story. And, yeah. It has a much different look. But I’d call that an update, which is another kind of shift. And the content remains the same as it ever was. So I’m going with a shift, here.

Which means . . .  my blog-switch project . . . becomes my own metaphor for SHIFT. How about that! Completing the project has . . . freed up a lot of my brain space. Where a few months ago I was absolutely struggling with this word I chose, and where it was (or wasn’t) taking me, I now feel like I’m overflowing with ideas and revelations. Now that I’m not constantly mulling over this blog-switch project, I’ve got more “room” and energy for creativity and reflection and . . . other stuff.

I was stuck.
I made a shift.
Now I’m not stuck.

My big takeaways from this project. . . related to shift:

  • Sometimes we really struggle when we know a shift is coming . . . even when we really want to make it. I did a lot of . . . fighting with myself and getting in my own way (it’s baggage, people; it’s always baggage; and vulnerability. . .).
  • When you want to make things happen, you really do need to shift into a higher gear (because it’s also priorities . . . ).
  • Once you make a shift, the ripples (oh, the ripples!) can be huge. Seismic, even.

But probably my biggest takeaway?
It’s never too late to . . .  begin again.

Drink from the well of yourself and begin again.
— Charles Bukowski