An Antidote to the Pandemics (at least one of the 3)
Here we are - nearing the eve of the US election, and nearing the end of 2020 - a year filled with unrelenting turmoil.
You may have noticed that I have been particularly quiet lately. I have found it hard to post anything on Instagram. My emails have lapsed despite my desire to reach out to all of you... It seems as though every outward effort requires almost twice as much recovery time.
There is a particular exhaustion we are all confronting - the exhaustion of persistent uncertainty, mixed with an illusive grasp on anything hopeful, and the doors to bigger questions being blown open more rapidly than they are being resolved. I assume you are feeling this too. Pandemic / 2020 fatigue is very, very real.
I thought I would offer you what I am considering a preventative antidote - a soothing balm, a grounding rod - to help us through what is looking like one very long winter ahead.
I heard a man from the Italian government interviewed on NPR who said every decision he made must account for the 3 pandemics: the viral pandemic, the economic pandemic, and the psychological pandemic.
Yep. Even if we have managed to skirt one or two of these "pandemics" none of us has been spared from their cumulative impact.
I am concerned for everyone's health and the loss of loved ones from this rapidly spiking virus. I am very concerned about how many more will slip into poverty, and how many more will loose their jobs without adequate government support. And I am particularly concerned for everyone's psychological wellbeing.
When we are feeling bored, anxious, stressed, depleted, isolated or depressed we tend to have a harder time making choices that are in alignment with our wellbeing - financial and otherwise.
That is why I wanted to share a bit about my process preparing for my own "COVID winter." I am in this too. This time has encouraged me to surrender in new ways: namely, letting go of high expectations and allowing more slow comfort into my life than I ever have before.
I have also been COVID nesting - oh you have too?! I have a cozy little corner on the couch that is my morning and evening perch. It is a slow transition to the day and a soft place to land; a down pillow I covered with the softest, layered cotton, a sheepskin, a tray to keep a pot of my favorite Rose Earl Grey tea from spilling, and my knitting. I have an equally cozy setup in our bedroom. I even put a "bed" in my office for mid-afternoon naps.
I need both the comfort of routine and the stimulation of adventure as though it is water in a very dry desert. I have a list of new hikes I want to take with friends this winter. When everything feels limited, we need to have options! (Below is a list of questions you can use to help you if you haven't already done something similar.)
In case I haven't said it in a while...our financial wealth and personal fulfillment are intimately connected - so I am here to support both. And now is the most important time to take proactive measures to support your emotional / mental wellbeing that will sustain you in the coming months.
So there you go, an invitation to design your own "menu" - your own antidote to the world outside, the world we can't control other than using our voice to VOTE, and asking every person in the street to use their voices to VOTE for the change we so desperately need.
I am thinking of you - and I am in this with you.
Take EXCELLENT care of yourself - together we will make it through!
-Megan
P.S. I recently listened to THIS podcast with Brene Brown and bought the book BURNOUT before the episode was over. It's message seems essential all the time, but particularly in these times.
THE ANTIDOTE
Proactive - Preventative Measures for the Coming COVID Winter
What Sensory Support & Comfort Can You Give to Yourself?
Scents - yummy candles, oils, soaps, bath salts...
Sounds - music, a walk in nature without earbuds, or noise canceling headphones for a moment of peace from a chaotic house
Sights - new places, changes of scenery, open vistas, rearranged rooms, organized counter piles
Touch - soft sheets, a comfortable place to rest or relax, soothing textures
Taste - comforting beverages, foods that nourish as well as comfort
Which Routines are Particularly Grounding? Morning? Evening? Weekend?
Which 5-10 Activities Would be Stimulating - or Bring More Playfulness and Joy to Your Day? What would that look like?
How About Laughing More? Watching comedy should be part of an intentional plan! (see a link to the SNL skit below to start...)
Who Do You Want to Connect With? Via phone? FaceTime? Letter?
How Do You Want to Help? Giving to others - in the ways you can - is an amazing way to connect and contribute to end suffering. Maybe research 2 new organizations. Then make a plan for how you want to be involved it is always a WIN / WIN.
If any of the above require a financial investment, make an intentional spending plan. I want you to use your resources to enhance your life. Taking the time to think about what you really need - what you truly want - prevents you from spending on things that you impulsively think will make things better, but ultimately miss the mark. I think we can *all* relate to the hilarity in THIS recent SNL skit about purchases that in fact missed the mark ;-)
If your funds won't cover all that you want them too, see if you can get creative (credit card points? trading with friends? eBay (haha)? Offer Up? Craigslist?)! You may also want to shop your house one more time, who knows you may already have what you need!
