The future is whatever…
Apathetic outfit provided by Five Below.😹
“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”
— Viktor Frankl
Hi friend – How are you doing? Seriously, how are you doing? I have been asked the ‘How are you?’ question a lot lately, I’m sure you have too, and I hope you are being honest. I have been honest in my response and that response usually sounds something like this, “A bit full of anxiety and kind of like WTF, but I’m healthy and sheltered, so overall ll I’m okay and grateful. Now, how are you?”
Rather than rehash the of events that have rolled through the world like that boulder chasing Indian Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, I’d like to chat about the here and now. The ONLY moment we have is this one, the one that is happening right now. Yeah, this moment may feel weird, unstable, sad, confusing, but you can only control life as it is in this space, the present. Here and now is where your power lies. You get to chose how you use this time, how you find purpose in the present and live meaningFULL in the days and weeks to come.
You know how every year we go through cycles, seasons, that without fail always come. These seasons show up right on time, whatever time that may be, and our environment changes. We are [generally] prepared for these seasons and our expectations are met with temperature changes and the cycle of life. Winter is especially a tough, dreary time and season where things are grey, lifeless and time sludges by slower than someone going 65 in the fast lane. However, just as we are seeing now (at least in Alabama), winter always ends and spring returns FULL of life, as if the earth has shed a layer and everything seems greener, brighter and more vibrant than before.
I like to think that our current environment is a stage like winter. Albeit this ‘season’ was slightly unexpected, it too shall pass. This is only a season of our time, and yes the repercussions may be long felt, but we will bloom again. Perhaps greener and fuller than before. The dormancy of winter exists to allow space for new growth to happen, and growth and discomfort generally like to walk hand-in-hand. I am not naive to the pain, the loss, the struggle, that our current environment has clouded over us. However, staying grounded in the present helps me avoid the overload of anxiety that comes with the immensely unknown future. I like to believe we are all just doing the best we can, so give yourself permission to let that scale be a sliding one -depending on the day.❤️
So, where does that leave us now, the present? Well, we find peace in the presence of winter by playing in the snow, sipping hot cocoa (or let’s be honest, more like a hot toddy) next to a fire, snuggling up with a good book (or Netflix). I acknowledge the uncertainty, the fear, and the current loss that are present now and not usually in winter, but I ask the question “What can I do about it, to find peace, in this moment?” To me, the answer is it to continue to show up for you, help others who have been greatly affected by this circumstance, do what I can with what I have, use technology to my advantage and connect with friends and family, and love hard. We as humans are resilient beings, and if this moment is teaching us anything, it’s to quiet the chitta, our monkey mind, embrace the obstacle, and focus on the things that truly matter and allow us to survive and live with purpose. So I ask you, what can you do in this moment to find peace in the presence and live meaningful?
The three things that are currently keeping me sane and find meaning are:
- Yoga & Movement – When I walk my dog nowadays, I’m not sure who is walking who. It feels so good to get outside (don’t worry, I’m not walking near others).
- Sewing & Being Creative – Creativity is a form of meditation for me. It can be difficult to get started on a new creative project, but once I do it consumes me. I currently and sewing face masks, but I plan to make some pants and a couple of other things over the next few weeks.
- Music (DANCING) & Podcasts – I like to multi-task, and I usually work better with some background noise, so I spend more time listening to music and podcasts than watching TV shows. I gotta say, when a bop comes on, I just can’t help but dance (seriously, I’m that person wyou see skipping and dancing while walking their dog)…and it feels so good! Dancing increases your heart rate and releases endorphins that make you feel happy, so TURN UP THE JAMS and get your dance party on. I am working on a playlist for us to jam together, so stay tuned.
I would love to know what you are doing to keep yourself sane and the activities you are currently enjoying that feel meaningful – let me know in the comments! Also, please feel free to reach out if you need a little extra support during these time, I’m here for you and truly enjoy connecting.❤️
