I can feel the shift. I know we are all afraid to anticipate things at this point, because everything in our lives over the last year has taught us the only thing we can count on is change, disruption, and a chance to do things very differently, whether we like it or not. But the vaccines are rolling, I’m sure we all know quite a few people who have had two rounds, and a year ago at this time we didn’t know we would need a new vaccine to live life to the fullest…but it came to pass and if we are among the ones still here, it feels like its time to get down to business.
This week I’ve been reflecting on what we’ve learned since last March. It’s strange how I want the world to be normal again but at the same time not sure what that is anymore. Going back to the way it was almost creates a weird feeling of anxiety in me…one that I know I will get over when whatever normal is comes, but at the same time makes me think about how intentional I want real life to be. I don’t want to sling shot back into the rushing around, sitting in traffic, slotting every minute of every day. COVID has been a worldwide tragedy, but as so many things in life are, there is a duality to what we experienced and the slow down for me for an introverted homebody like me has been more than refreshing on a lot of levels. So I sit here today asking, what do I want the return to look like and here are a few thoughts I came up with:
Live BIg. With over a half million deaths in the US alone, it is clear that many loved ones have been lost and that experience is devastating. The way to honor those lives lost though is to live bigger and less afraid than ever before. The impact of the lives lost in the last year has been so immense, it can only illustrate how precious a day on this earth can be for ourselves and the people connected to us. If we are still here, we still have a purpose that is asking to be fulfilled. How will you meet that challenge? Do you know what that purpose is? If not, how will you discover it? We short change ourselves in life when we play small or live consumed by worry or fear. The better we get to know ourselves, the more we will be able to map our our purpose and unleash our impact on the world. And even when that natural fear creeps in, we know how to recognize and reframe it to keep leveling up. We can honor ourselves, and the people who aren’t with us today by living a life of impact.
Gratitude for simple things. The routines that have come from a slower pace of life are refreshing. Time to appreciate the little things like morning light, the right cup of coffee, or time for a second one, and sunset walks after dinner. Life before had almost eliminated the concept of sitting down to dinner. The deep things in life are strikingly simple, but if we get moving too fast again we forget to notice them. I’m vowing to myself not to make that mistake.
Be More, Do Less. Coming through the challenges we have in the last year has given us a chance to evolve, to know ourselves better, to develop more empathy, and understand that people and their beliefs are complex. How can we not live with less judgment and more presence now that we realize how drastically life can change worldwide in what feels like and instant? We’ve been given the chance in the last year to know ourselves better, understand what we value and in being forced to slow down feel more. Time to sink into ourselves and understand more what we want out of life, and I don’t want to go back.
As I was out on the beach this week playing and watching some of the best volleyball players come alive with the chance to compete, the energy and joy was palpable. It was life being fully lived, without fear, or judgment of who was close to who and people embracing strength and health and it felt so good. I don’t want to lose the connection I felt, the nicknames, the inside jokes, my girls bonding over TicTok and Netflix, but the time is coming, normal is coming…it’s time to decide what we want our normal to look like.
With Love & Optimism,
Wendy
Squarespace isn’t cooperating with me to get a song on here this week…Technical difficulties!
Photo Credit: @amoorephoto_
