The past few weeks have been the first time in half a decade that I haven’t been very active on here. To be honest, it’s been hard to know what to say. It’s tough to keep churning out regular content, knowing that the current reality of the world has changed, and for many people, those changes are hitting closer and closer to home. I read something online, that called this time a ‘collective trauma’, which felt like the best description I’ve read yet.
I don’t want to downplay how hard of a time this is. Almost everyone I know has been affected in some way – whether it’s being sick, knowing someone who’s been sick, job or income loss, or just grieving life being different than they expected.
There are things that I’ve been trying to incorporate into my life more regularly, that have been helping me feel more hopeful:
-Exercise
Because in the words of Elle Woods ‘endorphins make you happy, and happy people don’t kill their husbands’. I’m normally a gym-weight lifter, but there’s a lot of ways to adjust so you can work out from home. I love the ‘Tone It Up’ app – it has a ton of great home works, and I love that most of the videos are filmed on the beach.
-Long drives
David and I have been taking the time to go out and go on drives. We live in Texas, so there’s plenty of space to explore – whether we drive to find big fields of wildflowers, or just some country roads, getting out of the house has been essential for us.
-Outdoor walks
Do you know who the real winners of COVID-19 are? Dogs. Our golden retriever Harley has been the happiest boy around, as he’s been getting two to three walks A DAY.
-Worship Music
I’ve tried to make the switch to listening to almost exclusively worship music during this time (with a little Taylor Swift thrown in there). For me, when the news is so bleak, and things feel so dark, it’s important to make sure I’m listening to things that are uplifting, and give me perspective. Some of my current favorites are UpperRoom Worship, Maverick City Music, Eleven32 Music, and Elevation Worship.
-Community
Community might look a lot more like text messages, and google hangout chats these days, but it is SO IMPORTANT to stay plugged in with the people you love. One of the things that have made me feel most hopeful during this time is talking with friends.
