Self-care
Your thoughts are powerful. They are so powerful that they can wreak havoc on your body if you are not careful. It's difficult to remain in a state of calm when it feels like the world is upside. You probably feel like you are upside too but if you allow your mind to be constantly in a state of fear and anxiety guess what - well then so is your body. That means your body can't get out of that fight or flight feeling and do you know what happens when you stay in that state? It can compromise your immune system. It can cause issues to your digestive system. It can cause hormone imbalance. Our mental state effects or our physical state when we allow it to overcome us. This is the time to find a way to calm your mind and your soul. Look for the good in every day things. Be grateful for what you do have and what you don't have! Enjoy the company you have in your home or through video chatting. The more you can create a normal state of being for yourself, the more you give your body a break. Self-care is crucial right now and sometimes that means turning off your brain and tuning into your heart.
Hang On
Sometimes life is just overwhelming and you are doing all you can to just hang on. Guess what? That's ok. You will have days where you feel inspired, motivated, and ready to tackle the day. You will also have days where your stress gets a little high, your voice may tremble a bit, and it's just hard. There is no instruction book for life and certainly not during extraordinary circumstances like right now. The only tings you can be is a bit more gentle with yourself and feed your soul on both the good and the tough days ahead. Keep hanging on and before you know it you will find your balance again.
Perspective
Life has a way of showing us perspective. What we think is okay or has become acceptable is really not until something usually big happens to change our focus. Today, well the blinders have fallen off and we are seeing things clearer than ever before. They fell off a week or two ago. What once seemed important no longer is. What we took for granted we now cherish. What we accepted has now become intolerable. Simple things have become profound. Drama has become a waste of time. Love and kindness are breaking us open to the core. Creativity is coursing through our veins. We have awaken to our life. Colors are crisper, smells are stronger, love is deeper, and compassion is palpable. Look all around you. Despite the fear and stress, there are smiles, there are neighbors taking the time to wave and say hi, there are strangers making sure others are taken care of, and there is an understanding that we can all do something to help not only each other but our world. We are in this together and that perspective is priceless.
Impossible
We are living during a time full of challenges. It's easy to throw your hands up and shout "I'm done!" but that's not what life asks of you. Life puts challenges in your way to test you, to see how much you've learned and right about now you are being challenged from every angle. How do you answer life back? Well it's simple, with creativity and love. It's time to find a new way of doing things. It's time to learn new technology that will assist you. Now is the time to take the impossible and turn it into endless possibilities.
Change Course
This is the time to get honest with yourself. Now that you have time to stop and think, you can also reflect on how you've been spending your time and what you have been focused on. Ask yourself this big question, "have I been truly happy in every facet of my life?" If the answer is no, then this is the time to create that change. If anything, what's happening all around us should make us realize what's important, what's not, what needs to change, what can we be doing better, and what should we not be tolerating in our space from now on. Everything that's been holding you back is now gone. So what are you going to do with this opportunity? Are you going to keep doing the same thing just because or are you finally going to live the life you were meant to? Here's your permission to reach for the stars!
Simplicity
During difficult times we are lead back to the basics, the things we know for sure, that bring us some sense of normalcy. It's also the things we took for granted in the hustle and bustle of our every day lives. Maybe it's dusting off that board game, or getting on the floor to play with your pets, or reading that book that you got yourself months ago, or organizing your garage, or even setting up a giant pillow fort in front of the TV to watch a movie. These are simple things yet so profound because they do not require a device in your hands nor your attention to be other than where it should - your home and your space. This is the time where we find out just how distracted we allowed ourselves to be over things that didn't matter and we couldn't control. Now is the time to engage in your life in a very basic yet life changing way. It's time to be completely present. Open the window and let the sun hit your face. Go for walk and breath in the crisp air. Watch your children play. Laugh ... like really belly laugh when something funny happens and it will because you are now paying attention. Distancing yourself from others only means engaging back with yourself and the loved ones right in front of you. So engage, and laugh, and enjoy, and LIVE!
Control
There are things that are happening around you that are way out of your control right now. As much as you want to be able to fix it, avoid it, stay safe from it, you can't control it and that is making you fearful and full of anxiety. Stop. Take a look around you. You haven't lost control of everything. You are in control of yourself - you always have been and you always will be. Truthfully, that is the only thing you ever had control over to begin with! Stop focusing on everything that can happen and get locked in fear and start making decisions that will put yourself in a better state of calm and peace. Take a deep breath and ground yourself. Don't lose sight of who you are, the platform you may have to help yourself and others during this time, and the power that will happen when you let go of trying to control everything you can't. Enjoy that cup of coffee that's in your hand. Smile when your kids and pets do something that makes laugh. Appreciate what you do have that's right at your fingertips and know that you are full of strength, resilience, and resolve. Be cognizant of what you allow in your space during this time. If it's not bringing you calm and peace, stop doing it ... like reading comments on social media or watching the news 24/7. Take a break and just be present. That's when you start to focus on what's real and you allow yourself to be centered again.
