Unprecedented. Uncharted. Surreal. Weird. Challenging. These are just a few words that I’ve been hearing lately (and have said myself) about the COVID-19 pandemic. When the news came about some people in Washington State being ill, or travelers returning from China having a respiratory infection, I never thought it would have brought us to where we are today: in a two-month stay-at-home quarantine order.
When it first began, I felt like I had been granted a 2-week vacation from Above, to get “caught up” on so many projects that I had put off from running the shop, doing tarot readings, hosting workshops, and providing personal coaching. I even went and bought paint from the True Value in Hellertown and painted my little one’s bedroom a lovely shade of Irish Rose.
As the stay-in-place order came in with another two weeks, then another four weeks, and another month, I realized that there was no real end in sight. As Dr. Fauci has said repeatedly: “The virus determines the timeline.”
During this time, my main mantra is “Be Gentle with Yourself.” With all of this “extra” time for some of us who have been ordered to shutter their businesses to help flatten the curve, it can be easy to use this time to be more productive than ever before.
But here’s the risk: We can also use this as a reason to beat ourselves up with more shame around not doing enough, not being enough, or not getting enough done because we have ALL THIS TIME! Now I realize that some people have been working since the start, but these three easy steps can also apply to anyone who has an abundance of time or not.
Step 1: Ask yourself “What (or who) deserves my energy and attention today?” I can guarantee you it’s not someone on social media J My first priority is my self-care. If you are not at the top of the list yet, practice saying, “[Your Name Here] deserves my energy and attention.” Then keep the list simple by thinking of one or two other things that really need your attention.
Step 2: Check in with yourself first thing each morning. Ask yourself, “How am I feeling?” Ask yourself this about your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states. Am I tired today or do I have lots of energy? Am I feeding myself positive thoughts or entertaining fear, panic, or catastrophe? Am I connected to my spiritual source and if not, how can I do that today and in what ways?
Step 3: Develop a simple regular routine. And I mean simple. Don’t overload the system by giving yourself more than you can handle. This is exactly how we set ourselves up for shame. Giving ourselves a consistent structure doesn’t have to be daunting. My routine is fairly similar each day: Wake up, make the bed, meditate, journal, eat breakfast, play with my daughter, get dressed, pack my lunch, come into Kindred Spirits. Timing may vary but for the most part, that’s what I do each day.
I hope this blog helps you, and if you need some additional help figuring out your routine, send me an email or give me a call at the shop at (610) 838-5463.
✨~Blessings~ ✨~Blessed Be~ ✨~Namaste~ ✨