When the world needs to rest, we all rest. I kind of wonder if this pandemic is God saving us from ourselves. These past few weeks on lockdown have been wonderfully terrifying, full of stressful rest. That is the kind of crazy we have all encountered. I do believe that the other side of this is coming and this will all pass but we have to be real. Life as we know it has shifted and there are many important things to learn from the 2020 pandemic.
Be Kind to Yourself
In 2015, I miscarried my baby. A sweet lady gave me a card and it simply said, “be kind to yourself.” That rocked my world because in that moment, I wasn’t being kind to me. My head was replaying everything that I could have done better to prevent such a tragedy. Once I read those 4 words, I accepted and received it. It is so important during times of extreme change to learn to trust yourself and be kind. Listen to your body. Rest your body if that is what you hear. If you don’t have all the answers today, don’t beat yourself up about not figuring things out. We are all in a state of confusion. You are not alone.
Be kind.
Rainy Day Planning is Important
This 2020 Pandemic has caught most of us unaware. Even if you had been tracking it from its early stages in China, it was hard to predict that it would spread as horrifically as it has. People are out of work. There are those who are sick from the virus. It just goes to show rainy day planning is important, especially for you and your family. We are often told to have a plan to evacuate your home in case of a fire, but not a global pandemic.
What happens if the kids are out of school for an entire semester. Can we survive on one income? What if your income is the only income? What is the backup plan? Add those to your list of things to plan for in addition to whatever you can foresee. Again, it doesn’t have to all be done today, but it should be done.
We are Heavily Reliant on Government Services
Through my daily Facebook perusing I have seen several people extremely upset that the schools have closed. How can school districts not think about the working parents? I have such mixed feelings on this. My first thought is we are way too reliant on the government to figure out what we have to do for our homes. When I was in college, someone asked me, “what would I do if Walmart were to close?”
“Wait.. what?” The locals stores weren’t closing. But it did make me think. If stores (or the government) could not offer their services to me due to some unforeseen circumstances, “what would I do?” We have to put measures in place in the event that we can’t receive the services that we are use to receiving. It is not engrained in us to think that way, but maybe it should be.
Canning May Be a Good Skill to Learn
Going to the farmers market has always been one of my favorite Saturday morning activities. I love grabbing a jar of homemade salsa or pepper jelly to devour. It is a really good skill to have and know how to do properly. As I walk through my local grocery store and see ALL of the canned food gone, I can’t help but think that canning may not be a bad thing to learn. Had I learned this prior to a pandemic, I would be able to go to the pantry to eat or even pass some out to people looking for food. Canning does not just include salsa and jam, but meats and vegetables for the rainy days.
Time Should Be Used Wisely, Learn a New Skill
Speaking of learning new skills, just know we all deserve to spend time learning something new that we actually enjoy. Some people have the opportunity to do what they love everyday. Do you? Why not? While you may be stuck in the house or just restricted from enjoying your usual activities, take this time to learn something new that will serve you well after the pandemic is over.
You are Your Child’s First Teacher and You Can Teach
Let me start by saying, just as you must be kind to yourself you must be kind to your children during this complete disruption of everyday life. This transition is huge. This is not the same as being out for summer vacation. Children are confined to the house without interacting with their friends, no play dates at the park, and no outdoor activities. This is an environment to go insane or to embrace what is and offer yourself (and children) a lot of grace. Don’t let this overwhelm you. Show your children had to take this event in stride and learn your new normal together.
Our Health Must Always Be Considered
This 2020 Pandemic has definitely shown me how important it is to take care of my body: mentally and physically. Rest when your body is tired. Drink water throughout the day. Determine the supplements that your body needs and take them. Get your heart rate up all while practicing good hygiene.
Also, take the time to research what is going on with this pandemic. You can move and flow much better if you are equipped with accurate knowledge of this virus.
As we navigate these new and trying times what are some things that you think are important to learn or that you are learning?
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