“I’m just taking every day as it comes…” is a phrase that I’ve heard myself say countless times, especially in the past couple of months. Although this has pretty much been a mantra since lockdown, it got me thinking about applying this to life after lockdown. I’m a planner and a worrier by nature, so it’s taken a while for me to train myself into this thinking without getting lost far off into the future. I’m still not 100% there.

There’s something about taking each day as it comes that, certainly for me, seems to have a bit of guilt attached to it. When it is said out loud, it’s almost like we need to justify the pace we’re going when deciding something or making a situation happen.

I find that a lot of this overwhelm comes from a perceived timeline of how quickly we feel like we should be doing things. Whether someone has voiced their opinion, whether it’s through comparison to others or purely self-imposed, in the majority of cases (albeit, not all), this timeline does not exist.

Dealing with big moves, decision making and the process of emotion is not a linear thing. The ‘each day as it comes’ mentality is comforting for this. It not only encourages the racing mind to slow the eff down, but it also reminds us of a few valuable things that are worth remembering. 

Taking your time reminds us of the value of patience. Good things take time, work and care. Patience is incredibly important and it can be challenging. Patience also reminds us that sometimes we don’t always have control over a situation or its progress, but we certainly have control over the way we frame this in our minds. 

I’m not saying that money grows on trees, but I’m saying that if you know that you are doing your best today, then that is all you can ask of yourself. Give it time.

Taking your time reminds us of the value of acceptance. Accept things for the way they are but NOT for worse than what they are. Acceptance doesn’t mean a loss of hope, admitting defeat, or that things are going to be this way forever. It purely shines a bit of perspective on the situation for what is in this moment. 

Change is big, it’s hard and it involves a certain amount of processing. The length of that cannot be measured and is personal to each and every one of us. Accept that things take time and that it is perfectly okay to take as much as you need. Be kind to yourself and accept without judgement. 

Taking your time shows the good in mistakes. Although mistakes seem a disaster at the time, mistakes can also be a blessing. Rather than view them as something to be embarrassed about, see them as a starting point for the next part of your journey. You’ve no doubt learned something valuable from the process. 

That being said, taking your time with a situation can also avoid unnecessary mistakes. Either way, mistakes take us out of our comfort zone. It’s uncomfortable but we’re usually better off in the long run for having made them. 

Taking your time reinforces the faith you need in yourself. have faith and trust in your abilities. Things usually work out for the best so have faith in the timing of your life. By living in the moment and defining yourself based on now, you’re able to truly figure out what you want. It’s so easy to go deep into analysing what could be in the future, but try and focus on things step by step to avoid overwhelm. 

Remember, it’s absolutely fine to take your time with decisions and movements. There are so many benefits to this. Don’t rush, go at a pace that works for you and above all, trust that you will do things and act on them when the time is right, for YOU. 

Written by Emily Hope

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