TFFG: Issue Three

Last weekend in a word: manic. The days leading up to it had been relatively okay, all shelter-in-place challenges considered. But Saturday…whoa. Let’s just say I had some big feelings…really, really BIG feelings. Sunday, I took two looooonnnnng naps because being in bed felt a whole lot better than being out of it, where the reality of people dying and my own growing agoraphobia were undeniable. Things were low. And dark. And I was depleted. And weary.

I was so tired I couldn’t even fight how I was feeling, which would be my usual M.O. – to push through it, ignore it, beat myself up over wallowing in self-pity when so many people were facing a lot harder things than me. But it’s not like I made this mindful, enlightened choice to stave off the self-shame, it was a decision by default.

And here’s the thing I didn’t see coming: I woke up Monday feeling…calm and inspired and clear on the self-care changes that needed to happen in order to keep my mental health in tact. I started with the advice of a friend: 30/30/30. It’s pretty simple. Thirty minutes of being outside, thirty minutes of exercise, thirty minutes of visually (aka virtually) connecting with people NOT in your house every day.

So, I carved out mini-moments between work and homeschool and parenting. I stepped outside every morning after breakfast simply to look at the sky, I took mid-morning walks with my son, I left Marco Polo video messages for friends, I Face-Timed with family, I did more yoga, I went for a jog, I sat in the sun on my doorstep just because it felt good. 21 days to make a habit, right? I’ll keep you posted.