Have you been feeling all the feels lately?
Yep, that’s normal.
There’s a lot of change going on in my world. Probably, in yours too. With that change, there are a lot of daily-roller-coaster-rides of feelings.
Can you relate?
In this crazy COVID world, the fluctuation of feels is constant. It’s not uncommon with these intense shifts to see people on edge or anxious. Which in turn, elevates unnatural behaviors or reactions.
And you know what? It’s ok.
Understanding and learning how to maneuver through it, is key. With that comes the choice of picking our battles. Because contrary to what we may think or want, there’s really not too much that we actually have control over except our own choices and actions.
Prior to reacting, it’s good to just practice the pause and think for a bit. To be still. To reflect about what’s worth getting upset over, or being reactive to. It’s in that reflection that there’s often insight about what we really have control over and about what truly is important, or not.
Real life examples...
Travel hassles. As I sit here typing, I was supposed to instead, be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. We are still going but our travels have been pushed back. Upsetting yes. The end of the world? No. Sure it’s a pain in the ass to get our 3rd round of COVID tests and adjust schedules but really, these are “champagne problems.” We’re lucky to be safe, healthy and have schedule flexibility.
Educational apprehension. My grade-school-aged son has asthma and isn’t old enough to be vaccinated. Last year he attended school virtually. Educationally, it wasn’t an issue. Psychologically though, it was more than hard. It wasn’t a good year. He’s planning to attend school in person this year, but in all reality, we know that could change. Is there anxiety with this. Yes. Is there anything we can do about it? Absolutely not. We have zero control over what lies ahead for him, or any of us, regarding the upcoming year. How we react and communicate to him though, can help alleviate a good chunk of that stress.
Re-entry from virtual to an office. A good friend of mine has worked very successfully at home during COVID. Her job is mandating her to go back into the office FT this Fall. Due to COVID-crazy-schedules she has to shuttle her not-yet-able-to-drive-teenagers to/from school.
Minimally, this will take at least 1.5 hours out of her daily work schedule. Does she have a choice? No. Is her employer flexible? No. It is stressful? Without a doubt. Her family has to make some hard decisions. Is she reacting right now? No. She’s not be happy about it but she’s weighing her options to better understand what makes sense.
Sure to alleviate these hassle, we could not travel. To reduce the school stress my son could go back to steady-eddy-virtual-school. And my friend, well she could just quit her job as so many women in the workforce have had to do lately. But are these optimal decisions? No.
This way of life is our current reality and unfortunately, it will be here for a while.
Everyone is trying to make their lives more “normal” by finding comfort in everydayness’s like travel, school and work. There’s a sense of longing for how things used to be, pre-COVID. A “normal” that feels, even if not true, that we had more control over things “back then.”
Really though, did we?
As we embrace this daily roller coaster of life, I think it’s more than ok to practice the pause, and not react or respond. It’s ok to sit and just be and see what comes about from that. It’ll probably do all of us some good. Because through all of this I think we’ve really found out what matters the most – our health, happiness, family and friends.
Until then, in my house, we’ll just be taking it one day at a time.
It’s what we have the most control over.
You already are. It’s time To Be.
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