Don't get stuck waiting for normal to return

On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, talking about money just doesn’t seem very important to me. 

20 years ago, I was a junior in college watching the events of 9/11 unfold on a TV in my dorm room. Like most of us, I remember being scared and confused, both sad and mad, and left to wonder how the world had just changed and when we’d get back to “normal.”

Now, as the COVID pandemic continues to impact our world, many of us are again waiting for “normal” to return. But here’s the thing...

There is no such thing as normal. 

Life is a series of unexpected changes that, try as we may, we can’t see coming in advance. 

Why do we naturally fight against this reality? 

Acceptance means giving up the illusion of control we have over our lives. However, while acceptance may require us to let go of that false sense of control, that doesn’t mean we are helpless and should give up. Acknowledging that change is constant in our lives can be freeing. We begin to realize that just as our lives change, so can we.

Events like 9/11 and the COVID pandemic offer a wake up call and an opportunity to ask ourselves...

Knowing that nothing is promised, how do I want to show up in the world?

We don’t know when our time will come to an end. But the more we allow that urgency to guide how we spend our time and who we choose to spend it with, our lives – however long or short they may end up being – will be better for it.

Get updates like this one delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to my e-newsletter right here.