For those of you who know me, you know I love to plan. I have an old-school paper calendar filled with future trips/get-togethers/events etc. always. I am the one who says, “I know this may seem far off in the future, but maybe we should book…” Or, “Let’s just get it on the calendar!” So, as you can imagine, this whole stay-home-more-no-travel-cancel-plans time has been a new reality to navigate for me (and all of us). There’s been lots of Wite-Out to say the least. Luckily, Patrick and I are healthy and we are able to work at home. Are we going a bit stir crazy? Yes. Are our hands permanently dried out from washing them so much? Yes. Are we watching every Star Wars movie in chronological order? You bet. Have we lost it a little? Maybe lol.
As a planner, I had my checklist of items to get done before launching this blog, and I wanted to cruise through it and maintain my momentum. But then the universe laughed and I, like most of you, became overwhelmed with the new reality that COVID-19 brought with it. All plans were changed and/or cancelled, I spent hours reading and watching the news, and I had this unshakeable mental fog. I slowed down majorly. Reading during the day? Why not. Bingeing a Netflix show in my pajamas at noon? Let’s do it. Zoning out on my phone? Way too much.
I started to feel guilty. I should be working on my blog more…I should be organizing that one storage closet…I should be doing yoga or working out extra… And while I completed a small checklist of items (Organizing under the kitchen sink. Check. Going through my closet. Check. Getting outside and taking long walks. Check), I realized that I needed to tell that part of my brain to chill the F out. I needed to give myself permission to just be – to feel anxious or lazy or tired.
I didn’t need to use this shelter-at-home time to complete a never-ending list of to-dos. It was okay if singing along and dancing to Justin Bieber’s new album at 1 pm in a robe was what I needed (I have no regrets). So if you are thinking that you should be tackling every house project or organizing every shelf, know that it’s okay if you don’t. It’s okay if you take a break. If we can gain anything from this experience, I think it’s the realization of what is truly important – health, family, friends, nature – and that we take all or most for granted a lot of the time. Just like we take slowing down for granted in a world that tells us constantly to do-more, achieve-more, be-more. You can just be…Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think Justin is playing our song…
*Originally posted 3/25/2020*
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