Creating Beauty out of Ashes.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.’” - Fred Rogers
Thanks again Mr. Rogers. How true is that! There is so much chaos around us right now. Just Yesterday I saw a video of people physically fighting each other over toilet paper! I assure you, as a Proctor and Gamble wife, they are working their tails off to get everyone the things that they need. I just feel like the world needs to take a collective breath! Yes, there is a lot of fear and chaos, but there is also good rising from the ashes. I would like to focus on the good today, I want to focus on the kindness of humanity and the good that the darkness just can’t seem to snuff out! Here are 10 things I am doing to stay positive and keep my eyes above the waves!
Check on people: Most of us are home and even if you are not you most likely have some more free time right now. This is a really good opportunity to catch up with family and friends and really see how they are doing. I have several friends that when we face time, we continue life as it is and talk to each other while we are cooking, doing laundry and taking care of kiddos because that real life right now! Making dinner for the family?? Awesome, face time your parents and see how they are holding up? Nap time? Cool, face time your friends and see how they are doing through this whole thing! The more we talk through this and process together, the better we feel.
Dance. It. Out: I’m not kidding. Dance. Get up and move your body. Find your favorite song and turn it up. Commit to dancing through the entire song. Get your heart rate pumping and laugh! Film your self and post it and encourage other people to dance with you! I guarantee you will feel better when you are finished! Didn't work… try another song! My recommendations… Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, M.J. whatever make you smile and bust a move…(maybe it’s ‘Bust a Move’) DO IT!!!
Keep music playing: Fill your home with whatever bring you the most joy and peace. It changes moment to moment for me, but for the most part I am blasting some worship music right now. Fill the silence with music, music that inspires joy, lowers your fear and anxiety and ultimately bring you some much needed peace.
Move. Your. Body: If it is not raining, go outside. Go for a run, pull up some yoga online, do some barre, Maybe box a little, get your heart rate up and break a sweat. It’s good for your body, it’s good for your mind and it’s good for your heart.
Play a game: Any game. This is coming from the girl who really doesn’t like board games and married a gamer. Play make believe with your kids, play a board game, learn to play call of duty, whatever it is that will get your mind off of what’s happening and get you smiling and happy with the people you are quarantined with! If you are guarantied by yourself, there are ways to play with friends online!
Re-watch your favorite shows: F.R.I.E.N.D.S!! Find a show that makes you laugh. Find a show that makes you smile and makes you happy! I personally could watch every episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, HIMYM or The Office a million times and never get tired of them!
Find your new routine: This sounds so silly during this time, but hear me out. Finding consistency in the chaos is something that helps calm my anxiety! I am finding time to rest but also finding time to better myself! I still trying to get up at 6:30 and workout, (let’s be real, I’m up anyways because I have to small humans that love the morning…) I am putting together outfits (even if they are comfy) that make me feel put together, I am still trying to stick to an early bedtime & notice how I am saying I am trying! I am human and saying that these are mandatory will set me up for being afraid to fail, but it is good for me to feel like the day still matters and not to waste any moment. It would be easy to have a give up attitude but there is still purpose and meaning to be found especially in these uncertain times!
Find the good: Get out a journal and write down all the joys that you noticed during the day. Recognize the things you are grateful for and write them down daily. It could be as little as finding another box of Mac and Cheese! It could be laughing with your toddler, taking a walk with your husband or making brownies. It doesn’t need to be earth shattering, (it can be though) it is just a way for you to focus of the good that is right in front of you. There is good. There is fear and chaos but there is so much good.
Be the helper: Find ways to help others during this time! Donate food, find people who need goods that you may have extra in, give your neighbor some extra cash because they are out of work or check on your elderly friends. There are so many ways you can give back!! Buy gift cards from local businesses, check on your friends that are alone, make a care package for someone in the medical field to say thank you! The ideas and possibilities are endless! This is such an amazing opportunity to come together and create the beauty out of the ashes. This is the churches moment to be the body Christ calls us to be.
Choose JOY: This is an active decision to choose joy over fear. It would be incredibly easy to dwell on all the uncertainty right now, but it is worth it to actively choose joy. Reposition your thinking and try to catch your negative thought patterns and steer them toward the good. There is good all around us if we just open our eyes and look. “Look for the helpers,” look for the good, look for Gods reassuring voice that is whispering, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Choose Joy.