We’re being bombarded with messages to accomplish great things during this pandemic all while processing and coming to terms with the facts about the various ways our lives have changed.
Many people have shared that life in general has begun to feel like some strange rollercoaster ride in which we have days that can feel almost “normal” and typical and then all of a sudden we are feeling any combination of things like being; tired, crabby, sad, despondent or upset for no apparent reason.
In our world in which we’ve assigned value to humans who accomplish great things or DO a lot, we often forget or don’t realize that we have value simply for BEing. My little word cloud demonstrates some of the things often equated with busyness or productivity.
It can be easy to see that we either need to do or be. The therapeutic term for this polarized or black/white thinking is; dichotomous thinking. Our kids or other loved ones with eating disorders are quite often plagued with this type of all or nothing thinking.
In reality we can do and be. It’s not either/or but rather both/and. The both/and approach to doing and being can honor this bizarre mind warp rollercoaster we are on and give us the space to process, grieve and be while we are also getting done what we can get done. And it can be an opportunity to be a role model for our family member in recovery for thinking, being and doing in the space between black and white.
The gray area or as I like to say…the place where all of the colors of the rainbow can be explored is where we can allow the possibilities that live there—
if we are courageous enough.
Each of us is wired differently and we all are approaching this gigantic global pause differently. And it can change from day to day or moment to moment.
What if (this is the land of possibilities where all of the colors of the rainbow live) we gave ourselves the gift of grace to be when we need to simply be? And to do when we feel compelled to do. Granted, there is a ton of privilege assumed here. Many are having to soldier on doing the job of 3-4 people all while handling the unholdable.
Whether you’re handling what is unholdable for you or life is just inconvenient right now, how can you give yourself the grace to simply be for a few moments?
Perhaps you might get clarity on how much being and how much doing feels like the right blend for you, for today.
It can look different tomorrow. And that is okay.
