Unprecedented.

A word that we’ve all heard more times in the last two months than we have in the 5 years prior. 

 

For two months now we’ve been living in the shadow of COVID-19. And yes, it’s been unprecedented. This virus has turned out to be not only frightening but devastating to a large portion of the population.

 

I don’t use the word devastating lightly. But devastating is an accurate description. Whether it’s the stress of self-quarantining or the seemingly endless lockdown of business and wondering what the heck to do… there is no denying that COVID-19 has made a serious impact. 

 

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, sad, scared, and uncertain—that’s part of being human. The thing that’s not okay is giving up.

 

And it seems like far too many people are doing just that.

 

We joke about not having worn real pants with a zipper for weeks, or how we’ve let ourselves go a bit… but there is a point where it goes past joking and into something we need to pay attention to.

 

We can’t run and we can’t hide from this virus, but I’ll tell you what we can do…we can decide how we are going to handle ourselves and make our way through it.

 

This virus is not just a risk to our immune system – but a risk to our mental and physical health due to the stress, anxiety, and depression that have come along with it for so many.

 

But YOU can not give up, WE can not give up… we just can’t.

 

I know it can feel like all of the possibilities have been sucked right out of thin air right now, but that isn’t the case. Even while you are quarantined and can’t go do your favorite self-care activities that make you feel better, you can still dream big. You can still plan for creating a life full of laughter, joy, and meaning. 

 

Do you hear that still small voice?

The one who whispers “you’ve got this” and invites you to come back?

 

Listen. It’s true, you’ve got this!

 

We’re mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, and aunts just trying to do our best, piling things high on our plates, putting ourselves, our health and our well being on the back burner.

 

The last thing we need is anything to further complicate our lives.

 

We need something that will make things easier and help us to find the joy in life once again. To find a reason to want to put those jeans back on again!