It's been approximately two months since my last blog post and my oh my, how things have changed in that short time frame.
We're in quarantine.
Our kids are schooling from home.
We're working from home.
Our relationships are being tested.
We're questioning ourselves. We're questioning others.
It's weird and tough and challenging. And yet, I'm realizing that it's also a privilege.
If you don't remember, two months ago, I shared my word for the year 2020: THRIVE. So how am I, with everything that's going on, thriving?
If I'm being honest, I wasn't. I wasn't thriving. I was anxious and scared and I was letting my anxiety and nerves drain the joy out of my day. I was an absolute mess. On day four of quarantine, we said our goodbyes to Brody, our family dog of the last 9 1/2 years. In the following week, I spent most of my time in a daze. I was going through the motions (barely) and mourning the sense of normalcy. I wasn't eating. In a little over a week, I lost 10 pounds. And ya'll, while I've been working to lose weight, that 10 pounds was not lost in a healthy way. I was struggling to find balance between working from home and helping my kids school from home. I was barely communicating with the outside world. I felt so lost.
On the flip side, I also knew I couldn't allow myself to go on like this forever. So how did I change that?
I'll start by saying, it's not an instant change friends, it's a gradual one.
For starters, I'm limiting my exposure to social media and the news. Now, I know there is useful information out there and while I like to stay updated, it is also easy to find myself falling down a rabbit hole. Once I'm there, everything seems dark and I spiral. I no longer allow myself to get online in the morning until I've achieved a few things: a shower, brushed teeth, combed hair, clothing, completion of my daily devotional and the consumption of at least a half a cup of coffee. And even then, I only allow myself 10 to 15 minutes to browse the news in the morning. The same thing goes for the evening, at least an hour before I go to bed, no social media, no news.
Additionally, I've searched to find one thing that I do for myself daily to lift my spirits. It comes in the form of a 30 - 45 minute daily video from Rachel and/or Dave Hollis. If you follow me on Facebook, you'll notice that I've shared a few of their videos recently. If you haven't already, watch them. Y'all, the joy these people project, is amazing. Sometimes the video is a 30 minute jam session, other it's a 30 minute segment touching on an issue we are all dealing with during this quarantine. Either way, as Dave so often says, I AM HERE FOR IT. And P.S. If you have yet to read "Girl, Wash Your Face" or "Girl, Stop Apologizing," do it. Add those babies to your Amazon cart right now.
I'm also working really hard to take control of my mindset, to find the good in every day. While there are so many things out there that I absolutely cannot control, my mindset is not one of them. It is up to ME and me only, to get there. I can't put that job on my husband, my kids or my friends. This one is on ME. I encourage you to do the same. Even on the days that you're struggling, the days where you are feeling the pressure of working and teaching and keeping house and every thing else that comes with our day to day, I promise you, if you look for the good, you will find it. And the beauty of it, your something good doesn't have to be something elaborate. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture made by someone you know. Often times, the best gifts come in the smallest packages. It's the 30 minutes that you got to spend with your husband before work. It's the laughter you hear from your children as they're running around the house. It's the 20 minutes of sunshine you absorbed while on a walk at lunch. It could also be that it is now 5 days after you obtained your first stellar facial sunburn of the season and your face no longer looks quite like a cherry tomato.
Friends, we will come out on the other side of this. But let me ask you this, when you come out on the other side, are you going to look back at this time wishing you'd done all you could do to be the best version of yourself and making the most of this time that we've been given or are you going to do the dang thing?
For those of us that are blessed to be able to work our jobs and still provide for our family during this time, let's be thankful. Not everyone has that privilege.
For those of us that are lucky enough to be home to assist our kids with their schooling, let's be thankful. Not everyone has that privilege.
For those of us that have our health, let's be thankful.
Make time for yourself. Make time for your spouse. Make time for your kids. Take the time to check in on your family and friends. Get out and move your body. Enjoy a beverage on the deck. Take the time to read the book you've been itching to read. Try a new recipe. Be empathetic. Laugh often. Love fiercely.
Strive to thrive.
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