Find Steadiness Amidst Uncertainty
Things are weird.
When I ask people how they are doing these days, this is by far the most typical response I get. Yes, I hear about waves of panic and fear, but generally our days are just feeling strange, unsettled. And for most of us, hopefully this is where things remain. We still work, but it looks different. We might be attempting to negotiate home-schooling or childcare, instead of negotiating a drop-off schedule. We can still drive down familiar roads, but the landscape has shifted with storefronts darkened and sidewalks empty.
These times are uncertain.
Moments of normalcy can be our refuge.
Over the past 3 weeks I have continually witnessed the importance of intentionally cultivating a sense of normalcy in our day-to-day lives. To have some aspect of life, some ritual to ground us in steadiness, while change whips around us.
The enormity of this all first struck me on that first Monday morning after schools were closed. I was standing at my kitchen counter attempting to plan out some semblance of a rhythm for my daughters with my husband, who typically would be at work, but would not be for the foreseeable future. We were only just grappling with what could come. Nothing that moment nothing felt foreseeable. I was gripped in uncertainty. My whole being frozen.
Then I went to my yoga mat. I took the same pose I have taken countless times to begin my practice over the past two decades, child's pose. As my forehead settled into the ground the familiarity of this ritual overtook me. Deep, resonate comfort of normal. I felt the sun on my face, the breath in my body. Reminders of what remains unchanged.
Since this initial knowing, whenever I recognize that now familiar grip of uncertainty, I settle into something familiar. Listening to the peal of my daughter's laughter, holding my husband's hand, taking a breath, sipping my morning coffee.
I have also been more intentional in carving out regular ways to fill my cup of normal. Here are a few ideas:
1. Get dressed and take a shower. Even though you might be in a situation where you can wear your pajamas all day, it may feel nourishing to simply get your day started in whatever way you normally would. Indulge in PJ days mindfully.
2. Drink water. Basic human need, but for a lot of us this seems to be the first one to go in times of stress. Regular hydration helps keep all our vital organs and energy channels flowing. We can think more clearly and our bodies are more resilient.
3. Double down on rituals. Lean into your yoga/meditation/prayer/oracle cards/reiki/journaling practice, or begin one. I heard recently that 80% of meditators are "crisis meditators." There is literally no time like the present to create a daily ritual. Savoring a cup of coffee counts.
4. Earthing as a verb. Getting as close to nature as you can will automatically bring you a sense of groundedness. If you have access to earth put your feet directly into it, or fresh water. Feel sunlight on your face. Open a window and breathe. Start each day like this and it becomes a ritual.
5. Go to bed. Just like staying in your PJs all day, staying up late just because you have "nowhere to go" might be best to also indulge in mindfully. Allow your body, mind, and spirit this gift of rhythm and set yourself up for a good night of sleep.
If you are struggling to find steadiness, please reach out and let me know how I can best support you. Never before have we all been in this together as we are now.
Take good care and be well.
