Adjustment Period

Life feeling a little scratchy and uncomfortable right now? You may be in an adjustment period.

This summer we headed to New England to visit family. We had two stops on our itinerary, one in Gloucester, MA and one in Sanbornville, NH. Both places are like home and we look forward to visiting, but for our kids (and myself), we noticed an adjustment period at each place.

Each new location meant new rhythms, new routines, new beds, new schedules, and even new sippy cups…heaven forbid. Our kids would dully grumble along for the first 24 hours or so, but then they would adjust and settle in.

As quick as these adjustment periods were, I still found myself tempted to think each initial set of thoughts and feelings would be the final set of thoughts and feelings. I would think, “Oh man, this is going to be a rough stay.” But a day later everything would be groovy; the kids had adjusted. We would then make another transition, the kids would balk, and again I would think “Oh man, this is going to be a rough stay.” But 24 hours later everyone was chill.

Finally, it hit me: Don’t draw conclusions during the adjustment period.

Change requires adjustment, and we would do well to build in time for these adjustments. No need to rush. Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t panic. Don’t pigeon hole. Instead, give it time. Don’t waste your emotions. Let the dust settle. You will likely find everything is fantastic…after the adjustment period.

So as the seasons change and activities crank up, I’m trying to give room for adjustment. The kiddos will probably have some creaks and moans as we adjust back to the school schedule. I will probably have some creaks and moans myself. But I’m going to give it time, extend patience, withhold judgment, wait and see what God is up to this year.

How about you? What are you adjusting to? A new small group? A new class? A new teacher? A new schedule? A new boss? A new partner? A new relationship? A new pay scale? A new commute? How do you make the adjustment period better? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.