Spring is a time for fresh starts, but living on a lake has challenges, including extended conversations with my husband. Our home was built with the lake’s potential to swell beyond its banks in mind, but in 2018 and 2019, we experienced the reality of a flooded basement with five feet of water.
Since then, we have learned to respect the rhythm of the lake and its boundaries. This year was the same, yet a bit different. As the melt began this year, all the indicators looked favourable, and my husband and I looked lovingly at our belongings snuggled up in the basement. We had done the greatest purges, and accumulated items felt familiar and valuable.
But as the water began to rise, so did my discomfort. I suggested moving the items to the garage, but my husband viewed it as unnecessary, and we agreed to disagree. I moved a few containers to the main floor over the next few days, but my husband remained steadfast in his view.
A couple of nights of uneasy sleep followed as the water climbed. Finally, on Friday, we took action. We spent three hours lugging and tugging our belongings, realizing that some items we thought were valuable were actually surplus.
The water came dangerously close to flooding our basement. Fingers crossed as the lake literally inches her way back to where she belongs.
This experience taught us some valuable lessons.
Firstly, we learned that poor sleep indicates something is wrong, and action is needed. Neither of us was sleeping well, which was a sign that we needed to act.
Secondly, we realized that moving our belongings made us reassess their value, and we will be able to purge unnecessary items.
Thirdly, our perspective shifted from viewing the move as unnecessary to seeing it as a spring cleaning effort, which we plan to continue in the coming weeks.
Lastly, taking action when feeling uncomfortable helped us settle and feel like we were doing something to protect our home.
Throughout these past few days, I’ve relied on my tools for self-regulation, helping me appreciate the beauty even when all I see is water. Living on a lake comes with challenges, but it has also taught us valuable lessons about preparedness, perspective, and taking action when needed.
What are you needing to prepare for, gain perspective and take action on?
To explore and grow your capacity for self-regulation in the face of challenges, I invite you to reach out for a complementary introductory call.
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