Adapting in the Dark

When the Lights Go Out: A Personal Take on Adaptive Change

As a life coach, I often say: “Change is inevitable, but how you respond to it? That’s a choice.”

But let me be real with you. That’s not just something I tell my clients. It’s something I’ve had to learn the hard way, again and again. Sometimes, life teaches you about adaptive change in the most unexpected places - like when the lights go out... literally.

We Take So Much for Granted - Until It’s Gone

We wake up, switch on the kettle, take a warm shower, scroll on our phones, cook breakfast and head into our day. Electricity, water and Wi-Fi, it’s all just there. Until one day, it’s not.

Not long ago, a massive thunderstorm rolled through my neighbourhood. Lightning struck and just like that - boom - the power was gone. Not for an hour or two, not even for a day, but for days. The electrical box was fried and we had to wait for the municipality to repair it.

No lights, no hot water, no fridge, no phone charging and no warm meals. Just darkness, silence and a lot of time to think.

That wasn’t the first time. I’ve also experienced entire days without water, because a main pipe burst at the reservoir. No warning, no quick fix - just an empty tap and a growing sense of helplessness.

This Is What Adaptive Change Feels Like

You see, these aren’t just technical issues. Yes, the municipality handles the repairs, but the real challenge is how you respond in the meantime.

• You can’t shower. So what do you do?

• You can’t cook. Do you panic or adapt?

• You’re in the dark. Do you fight it or find peace in it?

This is the essence of adaptive change. It’s not about fixing broken pipes or wires. It’s about how you shift - mentally, emotionally and spiritually - when your normal is no longer available.

Adaptive Change Is Personal, Messy and Necessary

In life (just like during a blackout), adaptive change shows up when:

• A relationship ends and your identity feels shaken.

• You lose a job and your financial safety net disappears.

• You’re diagnosed with something that shifts your entire future.

• Or you simply realize you’re not who you used to be - and you’re not sure who you’re becoming.

You can’t solve these moments with a quick checklist. There’s no “expert” who can swoop in and do it for you. The transformation has to come from within you.

What I’ve Learned Sitting in the Dark

Sitting in the dark taught me more than any book or coaching certification ever could.

• I learned patience. You can’t rush the repair. Just like you can’t rush healing.

• I learned presence. When the distractions are gone, you finally hear yourself.

• I learned resilience. Cold showers and candlelight dinners build character.

• I learned creativity. Who knew you could make tea over a fire pit?

Most of all, I learned that adaptive change doesn’t come to destroy you. It comes to awaken you.

Helping Others Through Their Adaptive Storms

As a coach, I hold space for people going through their own “power outages” - when life stops working the way it used to and they’re left sitting in their version of the dark.

I don’t offer quick fixes, because real transformation isn’t quick. What I offer is guidance, empathy and the tools to help them adapt, not just cope.

Because here’s the truth: you don’t go back to “normal” after an adaptive change. You evolve into something new.

Your Invitation: Embrace the Shift

So the next time life pulls the plug and you're left in the quiet, I invite you to pause, breathe and to listen. Ask yourself:

• What is life trying to teach me?

• What part of me needs to shift?

• Who am I becoming through this?

Because the power will eventually come back. The water will run again, but you - you won’t be the same. You’ll be wiser, stronger, clearer and more you than ever before and that, my friend, is the gift of adaptive change.

Let’s Navigate Change Together

If you’re in the middle of your own life blackout, I see you. I’ve been there and I’d be honoured to walk with you through the dark until your light returns.

Want to talk about it? Book a free discovery session with me at Silver Lining. Let’s turn your breakdown into a breakthrough.