Note: It’s been a very long time since I have put up a new blog post. With the events going on in the world, I’m suddenly finding myself feeling more creative and with new priorities. My writing is bubbling to the surface and I’m wanting to reach out to the world! Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I chronicle life inside of my stay-at-home bubble. I pray that each and every one of you is happy and healthy.
“When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is.” - Unknown
It’s been three weeks of being homebound now while we navigate this time in history of a pandemic. All of us are vacillating between moods. Yesterday it was one of those nap days. There seemed to be a heavy energy in the air, and I couldn’t identify what it was until later in the evening when I was on a call with my good vibe tribe. Everyone on the call was feeling the same mood. It was one of those moments where we have to make the decision to either give up or get back in the game. We don’t know when this is going to end. That part right there is enough to do someone in. However, we have a choice to act as if… this will end. I’m not sure when but again, who do I want to be on the other end of it?
The creative ideas for me have been flowing in at a constant rate. Yesterday I could hardly pick up my hand to write them down. I took a nap, went for a walk and danced around the ideas all day, finally giving up and going to bed. However, this morning I actually woke up with an twinge of excitement. I thought about all the cool things I would be implementing when “this” was over, and we were back to a new normal. We aren’t going back to the old, we are stepping into the new and for some, that brings grief. For me, that brings nostalgia and grief. I caught myself this morning wishing I could just go over and stroll the aisles of TJ Maxx and see the lady who constantly badgers me to sign up for the Rewards card because I can save 10% off my purchases. Why did I ever take her for granted?
This is a moment like no other in history. It’s a moment to dig deep and make big personal choices around how you want to operate the rest of your life. You can sit around and say, I now have the time to write that book. Yet you don’t pick up the pen and then go back to your Netflix watching. You can actually get up and write that book and think about when you can publish it, plan your book tour etc. If we get excited about something, it makes the day go by so much faster and by being more creative, you are actually boosting your immune system.
Each day I am learning to let go of more and more. It’s not my business how others are coping. It’s not my obligation to fix everyone. What I can do in my lane is show folks tips and tools on how to use this time to the fullest. There are gifts in this time at home. Spring cleaning, bonding with kids, learning new ways of communication that help immensely when you are quarantined with someone who you don’t usually see a lot. We have been able to have family meetings and air out some old things to make room for new ways of doing things.
What can you do today to step into a new way of doing things? Can you list the attributes of where you want to live next? Can you visualize a new way of working your business? I saw an amazing example of that yesterday. A recruiting company had quickly shifted to helping small business owners navigate the ins and outs of getting funding from the government stimulus package. In two days they had completely re-worked their business model into something that will most likely bring them in even more revenue. That’s so brilliant.
With these new times, feeling like you “have” to go big and create something new can be daunting or make you feel guilty if you don’t write the next great American novel. Stop that right now. Your “new” way may just be forgiving someone who you think wronged you. It could be learning to cook a new dish. People operate in different ways. Do not go into comparison or shame but just this about how you want to walk out the other end of this. If you are, indeed, sitting around watching Netflix all day, how will your system react when you have to get up and go back to your office. All good things to think about.
Folks, I urge you to reach way down inside and find that inner strength I know you have. Don’t numb yourself. Start a creative project. Find a new passion and hobby. As always, if you need a check-in or want to chat about your next right steps or how to navigate these times, do not hesitate to contact me through my website at www.trishwalker.us.
Until My Next Adventure,
Trish Walker
Park City, UT.
