When NASA’s space shuttle re-entered the earth’s atmosphere the ship endured immense amounts of pressure and heat. The ship was built in such a way as to shield the astronauts from these elements. Even with the ship doing its job, the astronauts still experienced up to 3Gs (gravitational forces). This was only one aspect – the physical – of re-entry that the astronauts had to endure.
When we have a particular experience that changes us, returning to our normal schedules, relationships, and responsibilities, can be jarring at best. Schedules do not respect the time needed to process changes. Relationships take some time to adjust to the change (while some fight for the consistency of the past). Responsibilities often exist as static markers in a world that’s in flux.
Have you recently experienced an event that dramatically changed you? If so, give yourself some time and space to allow that change to settle. Carve out some time in your schedule to honor the experience you’ve just had. Bring the people you care about alongside you. Let them know what you’ve experienced and what you’re processing. Allow the responsibilities to provide some consistency around you.
In that, we can hope to protect ourselves from the heat and pressure, and lessen the forces that impact us as we re-enter our lives after a dramatic shift.