It’s been quite a while since you heard from us, but we’re eager to reconnect and see how everyone is faring.  Most of us did not imagine that the Giant Pause would go into Acts 2 and 3, but here we are. Now, in addition to COVID, we have social unrest, political madness, and natural disasters pushing us to the limit.  We are realizing that coming to terms with these circumstances and feeling at peace again is in and of itself a tumultuous process.  For many of us our “surge capacity” is depleted.  We may find ourselves bored, listless, afraid, or unsettled. Even if you’re beginning to accept that we are in this for the long haul, it’s a roller coaster experience to be sure.

We’re right there with you!

Like many of you, we thought we’d be closer to being back to normal by now.  We’ve been in the muck, trying to regroup and reframe as well, hoping to find ways to rise above the discomfort and find joy again. (We’ve had to tear some of the pages out of our field guide and begin to rewrite them!) We’ve discovered that coming to terms and feeling at peace is often an ebb and flow process.

The Long & Winding Road…

The long and winding road through this pandemic is unique for each of us, yet there is a universal nature to the experiences we are having. Our capacity to cope with disasters is designed for short term stressors. The ambiguity of the pandemic timeline over the long haul depletes our emotional, physical and mental reserves.  We found that this article by Tara Haelle captures our shared experiences and offers insightful suggestions:

• Accept that life is different right now

• Expect less from yourself

• Recognize the different aspects of grief

• Experiment with “both-and” thinking

• Look for activities new and old that continue to fulfill you

• Focus on maintaining and strengthening important relationships

• Slowly begin rebuilding your resilience bank account

We don’t have all the answers, but we are doggedly in the conversation.  What we’d like to offer you in the weeks ahead are some suggestions for reframing this experience, looking deeply for hidden opportunities for growth and awareness. This is a collective experience so we truly want to hear from you, to learn what’s helping you!  Simply send us  a quick note. As the saying goes, “It takes a village…” so don’t be shy, let us know what you’ve discovered so we can pass it along to our readers.

With wonder and possibility,

Barb and Mary