Scrolling hours mindlessly through social media. Watching Tiger King (again).
Snapped again at the kids because they can’t get their dang school from home project done. You keep hiding in the bathroom. It is 4pm. Your morning coffee has been reheated ten times.
Calling your landlord begging to stay.
Not hearing back from unemployment.
Standing outside your neighbor’s door, wondering if you can knock and ask for help.
Fighting for the back bedroom to get work done from (more quietly). Zoom fatigue. The black sheet fell down again.
Searching Google to determine if you are sick. Angry they had taken social distancing more seriously. Can’t breathe because you really can’t breathe, or because they passed away.
Or maybe just because you are suffocating at home.
Bothered that you are “unessential”. Wishing you were “unessential”.
Avoiding the news. Obsessing over the news.
Staring out the window like a puppy dog. Sobbing because they broke your heart. Cowering in fear.
So lonely. So bored. So anxious. So numb. So ready for this to be done.
[wd_hustle id=”6″ type=”embedded”/]You might be stuck in this strange season of COVID-19. I don’t know what you feel, or if you are even aware of your feelings. But if you are living now, we juggling changes, there is probably something there.
Is it possible to still thrive in this time?
Yes. But you have to feel and deal with your experience. Without processing, it will hold you in a mire for who knows how long. It will steal peace, hope, love and joy.
Instead, let it build your resilience. Pivot gloriously.
Journal Through Change Challenge
I wanted to share with you the prompts I used a few weeks ago to help me process. My first week in quarantine I was just trying to hold it together, juggling all the things. Six of us were shoved into our three room house, and my job went from writing, ministry, and non-profit work back to the basics, juggling responsibilities and schooling my kids from home. As things progressed the second week, it became evident I was not okay. I was empty, exhausted from leading in just my home, felt so alone and had shut-down everywhere else. It was too much to carry.
I let myself grieve and be miserable for a day or two, but knew I couldn’t afford to get stuck there. Sure, I could just wait it out and see how how everything went, which might be fine. I’d adjust. Nothing major was happening–we still have food, toliet paper, and money to pay the bills. I could work through stuff over time.
But I also saw my family needed me more than I could give. And the small teams I lead would be gracious too. Or I could rise up and lead them, living a life worth imitating which is what I want to do (which required a lot of scary vulnerability). I concluded that refilling was my only option.
I have been in similar positions before and knew how to intentionally pursue life. So after having a pity-party Saturday, that Sunday morning I gave myself space, crying on the floor of my closet/bathroom area (trying to hide from the kids). I began using the therapy techniques and spiritual journaling prompts I’ve learned over the years. These journaling prompts I am sharing with you were born from that hour, hiding away.
Sure, you might be fine too. Just wait it out. Wade on. Get through. Maybe a little traumatized, but push on going on empty. Or get stuck. I don’t know what you are seeing and hearing, but I am hearing a lot of voices I’m hearing sure sound stuck in some feelings, fears, hopelessness, insecurities, confusion, etc… Just because we are moving and functioning on the outside doesn’t mean we aren’t wresting on the inside.
It doesn’t have to be that way though. Let’s process this change. Sure, I am not saying it won’t be hard after your do these journaling prompts, but I can tell you, they sure might help. We need more people who are fully alive right now so they can make a difference in the world.
If you need a safe way to work through your experiences too, get this free resource here and join this week’s JOURNAL THROUGH CHANGE CHALLENGE. Sign-up here for the journaling prompts (there are two versions to choose from–one is faith-based):
[wd_hustle id=”6″ type=”embedded”/]Sure, you can do it on your own. Some people are doing all of this at once (it took me about one hour total). The question, though, is will you without accountability?
Doing it as a one week challenge makes helps you commit. But it is still just as simple. Just take fifteen minutes a day to answer each step of these prompts. Choose a time. Set a timer. Put on music that makes you feel safe. If you need to, hide away in your bathroom too.
Ask a friend to do it with you. Share this post with them. Ask them to hold you accountable, or plan a call to talk about it together when you are done.
Also, you can join me as I post videos daily on Instagram for you to follow. Connect with me. Comment below. Comment in social media. Email me. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
I want to help you not get stuck because of change. You don’t have to. You can thrive instead.
