Goodbye and Hello

As my life has changed over the past few years, some roles have fallen away and I’ve taken on new ones. That sounds very clear, but in fact I’m only just fully recognising the changes that some of these transitions have brought within myself, and realise I need to honour them.

Some of these roles are subtle and I have not identified them within the changes of circumstances. For example, I am no longer an employee, and am no longer a daughter. In both roles, there was much required of me that I no longer have to give, and also much that I miss and still haven’t fully grieved.

The passing of these roles has brought two new ones - self-employed person, and head of my own little branch of the family. As soon as I began to consciously acknowledge these, I could feel a kind of unfurling, and a sense of relief, as more of the capabilities and qualities needed for these roles finally stepped into the light.

So, there are some aspects of me waiting for permission to be fully free of what they no longer need to carry, and there are others who have been waiting to be named, fully recognised, introduced, and truly welcomed.

There are many roles I have undertaken in my life which I haven’t taken the time to consciously thank and bid farewell to. I see also how I have often stranded myself in limbo by not pausing to recognise and embrace the new roles I’ve stepped into.

I intend to create a little ceremony to honour what has passed so it can let go of me, and to fully welcome in what is current so it can take up all the space it needs. I’m going to use the following questions to help me, so please use them if you think they might help you too . .

In the roles I no longer hold:

• what can I now put down that doesn’t need to be carried?

• what have I lost that I haven’t properly said goodbye to?

• what is left unused that wants to be used in a different way?

In the roles I am now in:

• what am I required to demonstrate that feels new?

• what are the capabilities, qualities, and gifts I am discovering in myself?

• what wants to arise out of this role?