The First Question To Ask To Recreate Your Life

I had planned to re-enter "normal" life starting in January. And then Omicron hit and TOTALLY derailed my plans.

I also had two work trips in January and February, one to be the keynote for National Women In Roofing Day in New Orleans, and another to lead a workshop for leaders on mentoring and sponsoring women. I didn't want Covid to jeopardize them, so I decided to stay away from most inside humans until they were done (which was totally worth it, BTW - they were both awesome!).

But now Covid numbers are falling so fast I actually enjoy looking at the data! It feels like a such a relief to see how much they're changing.

Our mask mandate was also lifted Friday, something that's been in place all but a few months of the year and a half I've lived in Colorado.

It's time to recreate my life in a true new normal.

It's been so long, I feel like I don't even know how to be in a "normal" anymore - even if it's a new normal!

One thing I do know for sure -- I don't just want to go back to what I was doing pre-pandemic just because that's what I did.

I want to recreate my life on purpose. I want to fill my time and energy with people and activities that are fulfilling and fun and replenishing.

To get started, I asked myself one question:

What am I LONGING for?

So many answers immediately came to mind!

I'm longing to listen to awesome music inside a small venue with everyone moving together in rhythm.

I'm longing to sit inside a coffee shop and work.

I'm longing to go see a musical! A play, inside, with other humans!

I'm happy to share I'm already doing #2 and #3. I'm quite literally writing this at a coffee shop and it's making me so happy.

I had a quiche and a tea and, most importantly, I GOT OUT OF MY HOUSE. My extroverted self is SO MUCH HAPPIER out in the world. It's been one of the hardest things for me in the pandemic.

And I'm going to see Rattlesnake Kate this Thursday! I'm going to wear a dress and lipstick and I can't wait!

Maybe some of you are in the exact place of readiness I am. I'm sure some of you have already merged into a new normal. And I'm sure others of you are having an anxiety attack right now just thinking about sitting inside a theater with a few hundred people (and maybe I'll be having one too, once I actually get there! Who knows?!?).

Wherever you are is great.

But if you feel even the slightest pull to make any kind of change in your life, start by asking: What are you longing for?

I promise, different things will come up reflecting on this question, rather than simply asking what you want or miss.

There's something deeper about longing. It gets right to the heart of things. It exposes what you want and need below all the levels of should and supposed-to. It's like a direct line to your inner knowing.

This doesn't just go for how you want to spend your free time or move into a new normal. You can apply this question to your career, relationships, travel, your home -- or you can just ask it generally and see what arises.

"What are you longing for?" will always guide you in the right direction.

Start asking.

Do you want to dive deeper? Click on the button below to get 10 free journaling prompts to reconnect to yourself.