I had been holding my breath
[If you’d rather have me read this to you, click here!]
When the pandemic first hit, I remember thinking that I was BORN to quarantine!
As an introvert and someone already used to working from home, I was LOVING the extra quiet and dove into projects that had been pushed to the bottom of my to-do list.
Like most honeymoon stages, this lasted for a couple of months...until I started seeing the full picture of how my life—OUR LIVES—had changed.
I was missing in-person connections with people—of seeing the faces of my friends AND strangers, unmasked.
And I was sad about the fact that my favorite ways of engaging with the world were no longer an option, or were at least very different from the ways I had known and loved.
I felt drained by managing my life in this way. By making so many small adjustments. Of feeling like I couldn’t access the things that filled me up, and then stuffing those wants deep down inside of myself so that I didn’t have to keep coming up against the frustration of not experiencing them.
Then a few weeks ago, it happened.
Kind of surprised, I suddenly realized that I had been treading water, waiting for life as I knew it to return.
I had been holding my breath, waiting for the moment when I could go to a concert again. When I could pop into one of my favorite restaurants for an easy dinner and a chat with the person sitting next to me. When I could hike a busy trail without having to sweat under my mask.
With a wave of relief, I realized that what I ACTUALLY needed to do, was to fully accept my situation, as it was in the present moment. THEN make choices based on what was happening RIGHT NOW, instead of trying to bide my time until the pandemic had subsided.
It was like that old Nestea plunge commercial where the person would fall backward with their arms outstretched into a pool of blue water.
Finding this acceptance was like hitting a reset button. It brought me back into a neutral, deactivated place, which THEN allowed me to see some new ways of experiencing a few of the things that I so craved. It brought me a renewed sense of peace and freedom.
With the release of these stressful feelings, my inspiration and energy returned.
I went to a drive-in opera with two friends in my pod.
I discovered an amazing new Mexican restaurant that has ample socially distanced outdoor seating (and amazing guac and chips!).
I’ve found a path to walk where there’s plenty of space for everyone, and I now wave to the new people I’ve become familiar with.
I’ve finally exhaled. I feel refreshed. And it feels REALLY good.
Now it’s your turn...
Where in YOUR life have you been holding your breath, waiting for your “regular” life to resume?
How can you see and release into the truth of what your life looks like in THIS present moment?
Based on your current reality, what’s ONE action you can take within the next 48 hours to embrace and move toward what you long for right now?
If you care to share, click here and let me know. I'd love to hear it!