Positive Vibes, Thoughts and Helpful Resources

I hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself and your loved ones. This is certainly an interesting and strange time for everyone. My deepest thanks to all the healthcare workers, first responders, store employees, delivery folks and anyone else out there on the frontlines doing their job each day.

My 8-year-old daughter asked me, “Did you have anything happen like this when you were a kid?” The closest I could come up with was when Mt. St. Helen’s erupted in 1980. I was only three, but I still remember the ash raining down and not being allowed to go outside for a few days. Nothing compared to what we are all facing today. She is well aware of how historic and unprecedented this time is.

I’ve been wondering what I could do to support my friends, family and community;
the best I could come up with was to write a note to say hello, share some positive vibes, thoughts and helpful resources.

My days are filled with the balance of homeschooling (term used loosely) my three girls, working with clients, managing projects, writing, cleaning, cooking, managing the household and taking time each late afternoon to be active and in nature.

I’ve found the most challenging part for me is supporting the emotions of everyone and holding space. I am pained witnessing the frustration from my dedicated athletes who are no longer able to participate in sports and will miss their state and regional competitions. And my social butterfly who desperately misses her friends and activities at school. I know you each have your own version of this. I am such a “silver lining”, “put this in perspective”, "gratitude first' person that I need to remind myself to acknowledge, empathize and remember that just being there is often the most important thing I can do for my girls.

The fear, loss and chaos is bringing up deep and difficult emotions for many. I’ve certainly had my moments.
I encourage you to honor and acknowledge what is coming up for you.
When you face it, you are better able to move through. When you push it down, it will continue to bubble up until it bubbles over.

I’m reminded that it’s times like these that bring out the best and the worst in ourselves and all of humanity. I’ve definitely seen both over the last few weeks. I have loved watching the outpouring of community support and the wave of fun and positive memes on social media - and have remained cautious about the never-ending news feeds of fear and negative conversations. History shows that great innovation and creativity happens in times of crisis and I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges.

I encourage each of you, as I have for myself and my family, to seek out things that make you feel good.

Focusing on what you can control is powerful and empowering. Identify what makes you feel better. What keeps you sane. What helps you feel grounded, comfortable and safe. Gratitude. Nature. Yoga. Pets. Talking with a friend. Writing. Reading. Play. Working. Music. Gardening. Rest. Breathwork. Exercise. A cup of tea. A hot shower or bath. Time alone (I know that's not easy for all of you at home with kids!). It may be limited right now, but you can always find something to help you feel more aligned, happy and more like yourself again. What brings you back to center?

Remember, what you focus on will gather energy. I encourage you to trade your research on what’s going on “out there” to research on what you can do “in here”. Start looking for ways to boost your immunity, improve your mental health, or be more productive and focused as you figure out how to work from home.

I’ve been inspired to see so many great and free resources available and I encourage you to look for them. There are hundreds of amazing courses, companies, and individuals offering free support. Try an online yoga class, anxiety workshop, webinar on how to work remotely or jobs you can do from home. You will find what you’re looking for, so be careful and thoughtful about what you seek out. I was super excited to see Deepak and Oprah release a new 21-Day Meditation, “Hope in Uncertain Times” and have passed it on to many friends and family. It's awesome. Check it out.

In the words of Maya Angelou,