Focus on Adaptation

I’m writing this while sitting in an empty office. Everything is back in boxes again. It feels like only yesterday – July, in fact – that I was boxing up 19 years of ‘stuff’, unpacking it all and settling in. Now, while our new house is being fully refurbished, we’re relocating once more, which means… yes, packing everything up and moving again.

As you read this, you might recognise that feeling of transition – the sense of being between what was and what’s next. That’s why this week’s conversation with my guest, Cat Williams, in episode 494 of Focus on WHY stayed with me. What initially sounded like a practical discussion about moving house quietly became a powerful reflection on adaptability, resilience and authenticity.

Cat spoke about life as a military wife – how quickly roots have to be put down, pulled up and re-established. She had learned how to make a completely unfamiliar space feel like home almost overnight. She joked that she might hold the Guinness World Record for the most pictures hung in a single day. It made me smile, and it may have made you smile too, but there’s something deeper in that image. Those rehung pictures weren’t just about efficiency. They were a conscious choice. A way of claiming space. Of turning magnolia walls into something personal, filled with colour, memory and meaning – even when you know it’s temporary.

Cat also shared how she'd learned to host a party within days of arriving somewhere new. Not to tick a box but to create connection. To anchor herself, support her family and show up joyfully in a brand-new community. You can probably think of moments in your own life where you’ve had to do something similar – stepping into the unfamiliar and deciding how you want to show up.

When you face moments of transition, uncertainty or isolation – new roles, new teams, new seasons of life – the question becomes: do you wait for belonging to find you or do you create it? Do you hold back because it feels temporary or do you bring your full self anyway?

This conversation reminded me that authenticity isn’t about permanence. It’s about presence. It’s about how well you adapt, the energy you bring, the choices you make and your willingness to leave a positive imprint, even if you’re only passing through.

The next time you find yourself in a new situation – a different environment, team or phase of life – ask yourself: how could you ‘hang your pictures’ here?

Focus on Adaptation. Focus on WHY.

REFLECTION WITH ACTION: What small but meaningful action could you take to add warmth, colour and connection, no matter how temporary it feels?