For all intents and purposes, it’s spring. The signs are there, budding trees, cherry blossoms, tulips in full bloom, crocuses, even warmer if not some high temps. BUT… it’s weird. This whole pandemic thing is weird, scary, unprecedented, anxiety producing-weird. I am no different than you. I am anxious, unmotivated, stir crazy, noshy, anxious-did I mention that? Health and wellness coaches feel the same as you, even though we are the ones who are supposed to be the frontline motivators, the “do as I say and do as I do” role models. Today, I feel what you feel. I have elderly parents who live 300 miles away, and a daughter who is on 3 immunosuppressive medications. So, it's safe to say, that the times they are...weird.
From a social experiment angle, it's interesting to watch human nature as it unfolds, the good and the bad. After 9/11, I remember how kind people were to each other in the grocery store, or coffee shop, or even in the streets-we were all heartbroken, devastated, shell shocked, numb-the anger had not fully bubbled to the surface yet. We were also desperate and fearful and we needed that social interaction so we could attempt to not only feel "normal" but so we could just...feel. Our enemy was known. His face blasted on every news station, his name on everyone's lips.
Now, our enemy is silent among us and therefore, the fear is quite different and while I do my part to socially distance myself, I too fear. I walk the path behind our house every day for some movement and fresh air, but I no longer stop for conversation. I wave, smile or maybe say a brief hello-but gone are my impromptu dialogues with strangers about their dogs, or cute kids and I feel...numb.
As a health and wellness coach, I am supposed to be the cheerleader, role model or
leader, but here is the authentic truth-today I just feel like the rest of you. I worry for my parents, my children and every day I am taking inventory of how much food I have left in the event of a quarantine (btw...I am very low on bananas).
Here's the truth. There are silver linings. Beautiful silver linings. Everyday I focus on those things that make me happy. The beauty of cherry blossoms, budding trees and the fact that despite the craziness around us there are still some normals like the change of seasons that we can rely on. It gives me hope and while it doesn't change my dwindling banana situation it allows me, if for only a moment, to breathe and focus on better days ahead.