As we have found out this year there are times when we have absolutely no control over the path our lives will take. Covid 19 came in like a tornado and just when we think we are about done rebuilding, here it comes again. We've been banished to our home, some of us starting working from home, while others may have lost their job entirely. We miss our friends and family and have an urgent need to hug our loved ones. It's been a lot. And just when we thought there was a little light at the end of the tunnel, they made it a couple of miles longer.
What can we do? That's the real question. The loss of a job can be pretty scary but the government has taken measures to make the loss easier. That is the good news. We are all still waiting to hear about another stimulus package to see what happens next. We thought the initial package that expired at the end of July was pretty far reaching, never imagining we would need another to get us through awhile longer.
For those who have continued to work through this and had to be in the public during the height of the contagion, it was a scary time. I made my husband sleep in the guest room for two months! People have lost loved ones and seen people struggle with this infection. It's been a tough time for sure.
Lucky for me, I already worked from home and life didn't change that much aside from not leaving the house. I miss my friends. I miss going out to eat. I miss grabbing a few adult beverages at my favorite dive bar where I know I'll run into some friends. But we made the best of it. We did what we could to make life fun while being shut in. Our neighbors who are usually part-timers nestled in for the quarantine. We got to socially distance with them for drinks and a meal from time to time. If it weren't for them, we may not have seen or socialized with anyone.
We discovered Zoom and started virtual happy hours and playing games with family members. We kept in closer contact with people to make sure everyone was okay and frankly, because we were a little bored with so much time on our hands. It gave us time to slow down and realize what was really important to us. It gave us a chance to take stock of where we are in our lives and where we want to go. It was a good opportunity to see what was working in our lives and what wasn't. And we had to the time to figure out what our next steps may be.
It also put us back in touch with nature. We all appreciate a nice day a little bit more after being stuck inside for months. The beauty of a sunrise or sunset. Filling your yard and home with flowers. Creating a haven where you can spend time and enjoy yourself. We also started treating ourselves in ways that we normally wouldn't.
For us personally, since eating out was no longer an option we would buy seafood to make ourselves at home. We starting experimenting with dishes we never made before. We discovered new favorites and started making them a new normal. We made time for games that we didn't normally play. We bought Jenga! We are brushing up on our cornhole skills. I had really started getting into pickleball until I sprained my ankle. Even with that, I still can't play yet or do my usual workouts but it no longer hurts to walk and I'm grateful for that.
We have a new appreciation for sports. Baseball is back. Hockey and basketball are going to complete their season. We are all hoping and praying that football goes off without a hitch.
The trick is to find whatever positive you can in these situations because we have little control. That's another plus, we now realize that we never had the control we thought we did and can move forward with that important knowledge. We can prepare for a time when we may be forced into a similar situation and be smarter and more prepared.
You can't control everything (or much) that happens in life. But you can control your reactions to it. Putting a positive spin on it will serve you best.
It's Monday! My favorite day of the week after Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A brand new week of possibilities and opportunities. Make the most of them. Now, go be your badass self...you know I'm cheering you on!
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