Anchors Aweigh

MichaelSunnarborg / June 23, 2015 Article, Link / Leave a Comment

Have you ever had some sort of a temporary injury? For example, you sprained your ankle, broke your arm, cut your hand, or suffered some sort of condition that forced you to change your normal daily routine? How about a bad cold or the flu? Suddenly, your ‘normal’ routine stops and everything changes. It can be quite a shock.

The way we react to change in our routine is important. Whether we realize it or not, the choices we make and subsequent results of those choices create a foundation in our lives that we rely on for consistency, reliability, and balance. This structure creates anchor points—or core base points—that support our ‘baseline’, or our sense of what feels normal. Anchor points are different for each of us, but we all still have them.

Anchor points keep us on track and feeling balanced. After all, we put them there! Things like our health, family, job, and home become our touchstones and solid blocks. Over time, our anchors change as our perspective changes, but we usually don’t worry about them since most change happens slowly over time and with our consent. Most—but not all.

So what happens when a personal life change suddenly occurs without notice? What if you become seriously ill, lose your home, relationship, or job? What happens when something you counted on as an anchor in your life is no longer there?

You still change. But change is more difficult when you don’t expect it.

One of my favorite metaphors in my writing, speaking, and coaching is how we navigate our lives like ships on the open seas. We are the captains of our own ships and choosing our destination, even when navigating through stormy waters.

I recently lost my full-time job—one that I loved, and one that I looked forward to every day—and the change was abrupt. When I had a regular weekly schedule, I felt the consistency and stability of that anchor. My work schedule provided me with structure so I knew how to plan my time. When I lost this anchor, it significantly changed my life. Now some days I’m not even sure what day it is. I feel like that anchor was pulled-up and I have been set adrift, much like a ship on the open sea.

Now I have a choice of how to respond to this change—an opportunity to draw a new map and chart a new course. It doesn’t happen overnight. Creating new anchors takes time. As my good friend Kathy says, “Everyone starts at a different place.” But by staying present and being conscious of where I’d like to ‘point my ship’, I now have the opportunity to create a new destination. And for that, I can be thankful.

To Our Better Balance!

Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

Michael Thomas Sunnarborg is a professional speaker, best-selling author, and certified life coach. His passion is to help people reclaim their power of choice and find better balance in their work, relationships, and life. You can follow Michael on Facebook and Twitter, or find out more at michaelsunnarborg.com

Need some inspiration? Pick up a copy of 21 Days, Steps & Keys, or one of the other books in the balance series, and start off 2015 by finding better balance in your career, relationships, and life.

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