First Day of Kindergarten!

Our Gracie started Kindergarten today!  It’s a really big deal!

For her, she’s still at the same school she’s been at all her life for preschool (and dropping off Jake before that).  But TODAY, she took the BUS there!

GAME CHANGER!

I’m telling you, this girl transformed today! Taking the BUS to school and back was transformational for her!  She’s a big girl now!  I watched her shift before my eyes this morning!

As that bus pulled away this morning, I felt a very unexpected pang in my stomach.  I was actually surprised to find that I had any negative feeling associated to this incredibly exciting moment for Gracie!

See, Paul and I live by the motto

“The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably handle” – Tony Robbins.

I see every growth opportunity, every new adventure, every change, shift and transformation as something to JUMP INTO! RUN INTO! With GUSTO!!!

There’s SO much positive that comes with every change, every transformation….I love it!

This morning, as I watched Gracie get on the bus, I felt that rush of excitement and transformation for her!  Then as the bus pulled away, I felt that uneasy pang in my stomach….the protector part of me, the part of me that pops up to control things and keep everyone safe.

That part of me was NOT happy with Gracie on the bus and outside my sight.  So, what did I do? Jump in the car and follow the bus? (don’t laugh, I followed the bus when Jake went for his first day!)

But, No, I did not follow the bus today.  I didn’t even consider it.

Honestly, I recognized that I was feeling uncomfortable.  I took a deep breath and told myself that all transformation comes with change and sometimes change is uncomfortable, but we do it anyway.  I said a prayer that god would protect her now, as he does every day when she is out of my sight

….and I texted her teacher and asked her to just let me know that she gets there safely 😉  Thank you God for giving us iPhones.

I then went back to focusing on that beaming smile and her complete transformation as she got on her big-girl Kindergarten bus for the very first time! As I walked home, I felt so thrilled for the amount of independence and personal power that this new year will provide for her!

I went about my day, immersed in my stuff and before I knew it, it was time to be at the bus stop for Gracie to come home!  As the bus pulled up, I could see her pony tails sticking up over the seat and I let out a deep breath of relief…”there she is”!

She happily came off the bus.  As the bus driver introduced himself to me he told me that Gracie gave him directions from the school parking lot, all the way to our house! (that’s a 15 minute ride)  He was really blown away that she knew exactly how to get here!  I just laughed and smiled.

That’s our Gracie!

I should have known.

Here I was feeling the slightest worry that maybe Gracie wouldn’t get to school and back on the bus and out of my sight.  Little did I know that it didn’t matter that she was out of MY sight….as long as Gracie has HERSELF with her, she’s completely empowered to get back and forth…apparently, she knows the way!

As she came off the bus I excitedly asked her, “So, how was the bus ride?” Expecting a big reaction and a big story.  “It was fine.” she replied and went on to other topics, something about bagels and Target.

Ahhh, the new normal! First day of Kindergarten, taking the bus, and when she comes home I get the same “it was fine” answer that my son has been giving me for years!

And so it is.  It IS fine! All is fine!

And I was reminded of another Tony Robbins quote

“80% of what we worry about never comes to be.”

So glad I chose to move through the discomfort and do it anyway! Don’t let being “uncomfortable” for a moment stop you from transforming, shifting, changing and growing!  Next time you feel that pang in your stomach, just take a deep breath and remember….it’s worth it, just do it anyway!  Remember “it was fine.”

How about you?  What moment of discomfort have you experienced lately on your path to transformation?  And how did you move through it to get to your outcome??

Happy first day of Kindergarten to you!

Sending love,

Stacey