Most of us have been obeying the “Sheltering in Place” orders of our Government. None of us are too sure that we have obeyed by choice or by fear. However, any of us who have decided that we are to comply to this virus crisis can be assured it is bringing changes to our lives none of us thought of or imagined.
This time of “Sheltering in Place” and not interacting with others is a good time to get to know ourselves and those we live with. It is an opportunity for making change, whatever change that needs to be.
It is a good time to visit anything in our past that seems to be living and taking up space in our present, in our soul and in our hearts and get that which seems to always be hanging over our heads, and in our hearts settled and dissolved once and for all.
This is not to relive the pains and infractions of others or even ourselves and it is definitely not meant for any of us to unpack and stay there.
One of the best ways to do this with a good degree of clarity is to write down every event that still causes hurt and pain and give it a solid detailed “20/20” microscopic hindsight perspective.
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All Done!
To understand, and this is the important part, that what was is done, gone, over and can never be changed, or redone, and the only revisiting is within one’s own mind, heart and soul.
To take each bothersome event and Forgive ourselves for any negative actions or reactions put forth, for taking part in or allowing the event to affect us at all.
Knowing that each of us did our best at the time, for the circumstances we were in and reacted from what we knew at the time.
And that each of us reacted from what we had learned and knew from our collective experiences up to the point of the life or relationship event that took place.
The events of our lives came to teach us, make us wiser, give us a wake-up call, or to move us into a totally different direction.
The only sure thing one truly has is right NOW, and the only direction we can go is forward with the intentions of being the best we can be.
We need to emerge from this time of “Sheltering in Place” Healed, Whole and Renewed as we are all entering a very different time, world, daily life, and a renewed appreciation for everyone and everything around us.
We also need to understand that everyone involved in our hurt and pain had their own lessons, pains, hurts and insecurities they were dealing with that had nothing to do with us.
The reality is that many times we allowed ourselves to be the recipient of others actions and reactions.
We deserve peace, happiness and fulfillment at every stage of life. The one thing that research shows is that the only one who can give that peace, happiness and fulfillment to ourselves is us.
It is my hope that many will do this work for the sake of growth and positive personal change. Our world has changed, we have changed and we must decide how this change looks for us. We must decide what making change looks like for ourselves.
This Life is a Gift to each and every one of us… It is a Choice how we react to it and it is definitely our choice as to what we Allow.
Stay Safe…. Stay Well…. Stay Focused…. Stay in the Know!!!
Well, now here we are, completely knocked off our fast-moving proverbial life roller coaster. What Now!!!!!?
What will you do with this quarantined/locked-down time?
We find ourselves sequestered in our homes and can make limited emergency visits to the store to see if the shelves are re-stocked.
While collecting old mismatched and unpaired socks, just in case the TP does run out.
Time to teach children what rationing means and how implementing this survival skill will keep them from going hungry. When we are out of the food we are used to having around, we will and can become creative at finding comparable replacements.
Now is the time to consider that dream of using your talents or natural abilities to make a living.
Now is the time to completely re-evaluate what we are doing with this miracle called Life. Do a complete Mental, Physical, Emotional, and Environmental Cleanse.
A few things each of us can ask ourselves.
Be honest, write the answers down then really evaluate your responses.
1. What is working in my Life? (only list what is working well)
2. What is Not Working in my Life? (be honest in this response.)
3. What can be changed, in the way I am living, that will bring greater peace, fulfillment, and happiness? (Maybe not re-boarding the rollercoaster you have been on)
4. What do we want to let go of to simplify my/our lives? (too many obligations?)
5. What do we want to keep in our Life and Living Space? (More family time taking more adventures together)
6. What are the steps I am willing to take to make the changes I know would improve my way of Life?
Make a Vision Board, Bucket List, and a Life Map everyone is on board with to begin this phenomenal direction you and your family can now take.
IMPORTANT….. Do not go haywire and try to take on the whole elephant!
One step within the following sections of Life is a positive start:
A. HEALTH (eating smaller portions and make healthier choices)
B. FAMILY (more time together less running from one event to another. Pick one for each child and adult, it will allow them the opportunity to become their best at that event)
C. ROMANCE (implement date night at a minimum of twice a month, with or without a partner/mate. Check in with each other every day)
D. FINANCE (set in motion the discipline of paying off credit cards, as the balance shows up. This alone will boost your money flow)
E. CAREER (is it time to start on that long wanted degree or certification? Is it time to use your God-given talents to make a living?
F. FRIENDS ( is it time to build a new Tribe and let go of a few acquaintances?)
G. SPIRITUALITY ( Define what Spirituality means to you and implement that into your daily way of living.)
H. CONTRIBUTIONS (charity begins at home, then it is easy to help others)
One thing for sure, we all will become much more creative with our meals, the way we entertain ourselves and making use of family time.
A positive in all this, we can get to know ourselves, our spouses/mates, and our family members again.
As serious as this is, I am doing my best to find the positive in each day. I mean, thank the Universe, for gifting me with waking up and being blessed with another day, lockdown or not. I made a lentil soup today and told my family they were having a complete gourmet dinner. Instead of tossing in whole veggies, I chopped them into small pieces. This way, everyone got what they needed to stay healthy in every bite. Which also, of course, stretches our meal out for a couple of days.
If it does get tough, I may need to go back to the days my father had to experience during the Depression. Make water gravy to mix with rice or pour over hardtack biscuits with a side of dandelion greens from the yard. Either way, we will survive.
Once the panic subsides and reason sets in, our thinking will resume to logic and common-sense solutions to this predicament we find ourselves experiencing.
Instead of panicking over toilet paper, we will realize how easy it is for a virus to cripple an entire world. How quickly our government can take control and put us all in lockdown.
My common sense tells me, we can never again not be prepared to survive a disaster, natural or imposed. It is time to take seriously preparing an emergency container of survival equipment, food, personal supplies, and clothing.
We stay protected by standing together, helping each other. It is vital to establish a cohesive governing body that can work together and know that solutions are more important than who is winning for the good of “We the People.”
This virus is a severe threat. There is no room for error.
Take care of yourselves, share if you can or need to, and find the things to be grateful for, even in our time of crisis.
Leave a comment below about how you’re feeling, and what you’re thankful for, or come visit me on Facebook and let me know!
Visit my library for recommended books that can help you through this lockdown time.
One of the biggest misconceptions we have of ourselves comes when we humans sink into the ALLOWING of Others to dictate our … Who, What, When, Where, and How. This is how we come to be out of balance.
From the age of 18, the proverbial ball of choices is in our court.
For whatever reason, we do not seem to question this until we become much older. And at this point, we often cannot reverse some of the results that have not only never fit us but, never will. This is when we realize that we need to find balance.
Try this: Find the pristine you, the you before life happened, the you that fits when you say “I used to be, do, believe, want” and so on.
Allow the lessons you have learned to be a positive addition to the Who you are now.
Ask yourself what the lessons were that you needed to learn from every memorable experience you have had, good and bad.
For every year of your life, make a list of memorable events and things for which you were grateful. Start with your first memory. (No, I don’t care how old you are. Make the list. )
Then, ask yourself the following questions and give a brief synopsis of your answer. Do not just answer Yes or No.
“Do I like/love who I am today?”
“Do I like/love what I am doing today?”
“Do I like/love who I have around me today, the tribe I have built?”
“Do I like/love my job/career?”
Do I need more education or training to increase my successes?”
“Do I take good care of myself and allow for me time?”
“Do I handle money responsibly, have a savings account, a rainy day fund?”
“Do I like/love my home, any improvements needed, do I want to move?”
“Do I like/love the personal relationship I have, do I practice good communication skills, take time to be loving and playful?”
“Do I have the friendships I want and need, am I a good and caring friend as well?”
Do I have the spiritual life I wanted?”
If you answered “NO” to any question, that is where your starting point is . This is where you need to “course correct, ” in order to find that balance again.
For each question to which you answered NO, write out how you can change the direction and what choices you can make to go in a more positive direction, in order to restore balance to your life. Being out of balance does not mean you can’t find the balance again.
You must always allow yourself permission to course correct.
Forgiveness is not always an easy thing to do! It took me several years to realize that it was ” I ” that I needed to forgive! Forgive myself for Allowing myself to be hurt! It is about who you are …. The choices you are making that Allows you to be hurt! It is about overriding your Value system, Your Belief system! It is about overriding your intuitive messages and collecting Red Flags! The ones who can or do cause you hurt are telling you who They are …. not who you are! Leave them to themselves….. Forgive Yourself …. For Allowing yourself to become so vulnerable that hurt could even penetrate your heart and soul….. Moving through Forgiveness will be much more pallatable … if you are focused on Forgiving yourself than Forgiving someone else for being who they are!!!!! You are worth the self care of Forgiveness…..
Wally Amos became famous for his cookies, however he also became known for his Watermelon analogy for life. He wrote his book Water Melon Magic : Seeds of Wisdom, Slices of Life in 2002. With summer coming we begin to see watermelon in all of our stores and at almost every picnic and barbecue, perhaps you might look at watermelon a bit differently now and remember Wally’s wisdom. Watermelon W – Whatever you believe creates your reality. Believe that life is a positive experience and it will be. A – Attitude is the magic word. Your greatest asset is your attitude. Be positive regardless. T – Together everyone achieves more. There are no limits to what we accomplish together. I am more than I am but less than we are. E – Enthusiasm is the wellspring of life. There is no limit to what can be accomplished with enough enthusiasm. R – Respect yourself as well as others. When you begin to respect yourself, your whole world changes. M – Make commitments not excuses. There is overwhelming power in the words “Yes I Will”. E – Every day can be a fun day. Fun is the lubricant that keeps life moving forward. Laugh a Lot. L – Love is the answer. What ever the question, Love is the answer. It is the greatest force in the universe. O – One day at a time. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. All of life happens in increments of one. N – Never give up or become a victim. You are guaranteed to lose if you give up. Winston Churchill was right…… “Never, Never, Never give up” It works if you work it.
Wally Amos – Be Positive – shared from the Costco Connection 2009
