Life has a way of stretching us and forcing us to face ourselves…that is if we are paying attention to the opportunities for growth. It is said that successful people have a ‘growth mindset’. This is a mindset that believes change is possible and you’re never the sum of one decision or life circumstance, you can always make positive changes and are never stuck in one place. Is this mindset easy? HECK NO…truly growing and evolving takes moments of painful realizations and moments that might enlist fear-filled doubts and uncomfortable stretching of the comfort zone. Have you heard it said: “if it was easy, everyone would do it”? This is such a true statement and right now we are all being given a crossroads decision!
Regardless of your personal feelings on the current state of our world…COVID-19 has slammed into our community and made an impact in our daily lives. TIME…the elusive thief of life! Whether it be to spend with a loved one, a friend, a regret (or a few), beauty, youth, a year, a day, etc…TIME is the one thing we are always searching! How do we get more??? Well right now, we have been given the gift of TIME.
YES, we still work (but for many of us it looks different), kids still have to do schoolwork; however, so many of the daily distractions are GONE! The daily grind of appointments and schedules have vanished from our calendars. I’ve talked to many people who don’t know what to do: ‘should I paint, should I do a project, should I even get out of my sweats’? YES!!!
I won’t pretend this hasn’t been a huge challenge for me personally…my schedule went from one that would overwhelm me multiple times a week, to being completely open! I’m pretty sure the last time my schedule looked like this my 15-year-old was 2. Like so many people, I am constantly feeling guilty about something that I didn’t have time to accomplish. For me, my health is given the lowest priority: I will sleep sometime…just not tonight…too much to get done for tomorrow…my body can handle it! I’ve written about this before, but I still hadn’t found time to make sleep a priority and guess what…my body didn’t decide to magically produce the results I wanted…SHOCKER! But for me…right now, sleep is suddenly possible! Wouldn’t you know it: I’m struggling with feeling guilty for sleeping…AHHH CRAZY LADY I know!!!
I read an awesome idea today: make two lists – 1 list of all things that make you happy and bring you joy. Make another list of what you do every day…COMPARE THE LISTS!!!
What is this COVID-19 ‘reset button’ trying to tell you? Where are your priorities? Why do you do the things you do? What happens when your control is taken away and your life doesn’t look the way you think it should? How will you come out of this quarantined time a better version of yourself? Will you spend each day pouring over social media or will you actually dig into yourself and do some real work on personal growth?
This isn’t about weight loss or eating better…this is about joy and what brings that to your life?!? How will you emerge from this surreal time in our history stronger mentally, as well as physically? Will honestly answering these questions be difficult, challenging, or potentially painful?
Quite possibly…
BUT if you truthfully acknowledge your emotions and feelings and move forward with a growth mindset of positive change…you WILL emerge mentally and physically stronger, with a life ready to conquer joy in your everyday choices!