The talk is that we’ll be starting to ease ourselves back into a (very different) society in the coming weeks. There’s a lot about it that’s exciting. But there’s also some stuff that is a bit disappointing.
A friend of mine said that, while she misses the life we used to have, there are some effects of shelter in place that she really likes. Things like the lack of rushing about, the ease of not having to make as many decisions (should I meet this person for coffee or just have a phone call), and (let’s be honest) the ability to wear comfy clothes from the waist down every day.
And that got me thinking about what I want to keep. What from this time have I enjoyed? What new practices do I want to make sure stick with me?
Have you started thinking about this at all? Are there things that you don’t want to let go of from this time?
Well, for me (and I realize this isn’t the case for everyone)…
I want to keep the relaxed nature of my days. There isn’t a never-ending list of stuff I “should” do or places I “should” go.
I want to keep the lack of guilt. For when my introvert self doesn’t want to do the “shoulds” I mention above.
I want to keep the thoughtful, interesting, home-cooked meals.
I want to keep the new tradition of an afternoon break in my backyard with my partner, an iced coffee, maybe a slice of something yummy.
I want to keep the long walks we’ve started taking, filled with talking and planning.
I want to keep the extra reading habit. Now, I’ve always been a reader, never without a book. But I’ve really upped the number of books I’ve read since being home and I’d like to continue to challenge myself in that way.
And I want to keep the mindset of just go for it! Like many of you, I’ve been worried about our business. My partner and I are not just partners in life. He is also my partner in business. Which means we have 1 household income. And while there are a lot of advantages to having a business together, this one point is a disadvantage when something like a global pandemic hits. Who knew?! So, like many business owners, we decided to not let ourselves hem-and-haw over ideas but instead do it already! I’m liking that approach.
The thing is, while this has undoubtedly been a very challenging time for so many people, from the awful (sickness, death, loss of employment) to the difficult (kids at home, anxiety, lack of focus), for some of us there are also positives that we can remind ourselves of. This is not to minimize the hard times for many. It’s to remind those of us who are lucky enough not to experience the awful, that there are bright sides.
And that’s what I’m trying to do here.
I’m asking you to take some time to think about what you want to keep.
How you will extract some good from this experience? What you will do to remind yourself that a lesson, a habit, a new way of thinking, closeness to family, are all things to be reflected on?
They all offer an opportunity to hold onto something good.
To make this experience not a complete loss.
To decide what you will let go of and what you will keep.
Lots of love and encouragement,
