“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
~ Helen Keller
The subject line of this post has two meanings.
- “Whoah!” as in: “Holy moly what is happening in the world right now? I’ve never experienced anything like it. This is bananas!!”
And:
- “Whoah!” as in: Reigning in the horse. “Ea-sy there. Quiet down. That’s it. Atta girl. Slow down.”
I don’t know about you, but I am tired. My whole nervous system is on overdrive, processing incoming information as quickly as it can; assessing shifting levels of risk (or my best evaluation of these levels of risk, combined with my uncertainty as to whether my evaluations are accurate); making sure I have enough food and essentials, and checking in with loved ones to see how they are doing.
Because this is bananas.
And because this situation is bananas, (no offense meant to bananas), I am encouraging myself to remember to slow down.
In case this is helpful for you, I am offering the strategies I have been using to navigate this time:
- Give myself extra time to do anything, even routine tasks.
- Recognize that my fuse may be shorter than usual, and this may be true of others around me as well. Factor this into any interaction.
- More than usual, take time to eat nourishing food mindfully and stay hydrated.
- Protect extra time for rest and for activities that feed and re-energize me.
- Even as I stay attentive (washing my hands frequently; sanitizing frequently-used items and surfaces; respecting physical distancing recommendations when I go out to walk with my dog), I am reminding myself to laugh. Laughter is powerful medicine for me.
- Get support. I have noticed that my emotions (especially sadness, anxiety, and anger), are very present, and I have been deeply grateful for others holding space for me during this time.
May you be well. May you be happy. May you be joyful. May you be safe. May you be at home in your life and in the world.
With love,
Lucy
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