Challenging Seasons

Marianna Jaross

I had entered 2024 full of hope.

With a new job lined up, business ideas, and personal goals that were well ‘on track’ to happening, I thought that 2024 would be my year.

The job didn’t work out, my businesses were slow to get off the ground, my apartment was being sold, and pivoting my career was taking more effort than I’d anticipated. This year was mainly focused on surviving and keeping my head above water whilst also trying to achieve my goals.

Here is what I wish I had known.

1. There are times when life demands we focus on our survival.

When events happened outside of my control, I had to focus on the day-to-day: Looking for jobs that appealed to me, keeping up my routines, connecting with others, and doing the best I could.

Was this the glamorous year I had in mind? No. But I showed up, even when my best looked different every day.

2. Connect to others.

In almost every article I write, I highlight the importance of connection: I could not have coped this year without it.

Luckily for me I have a great network, had a friend move around the corner, and reached out to others for support.

Quality connections are life-changing.

3. Sometimes our experiences are the compost from which we can grow.

You don’t have to pretend an experience feels good when it doesn’t.

However, what may be helpful is understanding and digesting the experience, extracting the lesson, and moving forward as best we can.

4. Maintain a balanced approach.

Health, relationships, career, and dreams are all parts of life: Don’t focus only on one at the expense of the others.

5. In challenging times, we are less likely to keep up our positive habits, or build helpful routines. However, this is when we need them most.

In the face of shake-ups the last thing I wanted to do was yoga, meditation, journaling, or maintaining my healthy routines.

However, making an effort to reintegrate these routines improved my mental health considerably, provided me with the stability of familiarity despite everything else going on around me, and gave me more energy for the pivots I needed to make.

6. Seasons change.

If you are in a challenging season of life, know that things can still change.

Sometimes we just need to keep a sliver of hope alive, and take small steps each day to make the changes we desire.

Our curiosity as to what comes next can be enough to propel us forward, one step at a time.

© Marianna Jaross 2024

Note: This article is independent of my professional associations and workplace(s).