On the one hand, I cannot fathom how it’s already the end of August and on the other hand, February feels like it was 5 years ago. Both feel true at times. It’s in this uncertainty and timelessness where some of us with our basic needs met are noticing the juiciness of life can lie. Not saying it’s all fun…and, what I’m noticing is that when I let go of my expectations for this time for which NONE of us was prepared, I’m able to feel the excitement and energy of this new experience where I do have TIME to explore the bigger picture of life. I want to acknowledge my privilege of financial, emotional and physical security. Without the safety nets of agencies that protect vulnerable populations, many are being mistreated and neglected in horrifying ways. In addition to a pandemic and financial crisis we also have a mental health and humanitarian crisis going on. For some, simply surviving is the goal right now.
For those who have the safety and privilege of exploring the possibilities of what we choose to have this time be for us, what have you noticed about days, weeks and months blending together or not?
Many of us are experiencing this paradox of time moving slowly and fast all at once as unsettling, unnerving, strange, and scary. And some of us are also feeling the quiet excitement of the possibilities of stepping into new, more fulfilling dimensions that allow us to see what really matters.
With sickness, dying, financial consequences, big changes in governments and societal structures being either in our face or on the periphery or BOTH we can become discombobulated. And sometimes when we have our basic needs met, we can also find comfort, meaning, solace and/or peace.
Fear is often a constant companion when you love someone with a life threatening eating disorder. It can feel like the wheels are falling 
off daily between managing the food, behaviors, medicines, and appointments and then we add in all the chaos in so many areas of our lives that has come along for the ride with this virus and everyone’s anxiety can be exacerbated. Or we might practice so much self care that we discover the authenticity in ourselves and/or others.
Our bandwidth can only be stretched so far and then we risk becoming complacent. There is so much to consider, so many areas of life in which we need to consider options. It can be overwhelming. WHOA. Somehow we need to find our center and some sense of which end is up. What if this giant pause helps us gain clarity on what matters and we release the rest? Perhaps we would then have just enough for our bandwidth…
What might your exit off this stress superhighway look like?
What if we added components of; gentleness, curiosity, giving to others and of course, 😉 self care?
Many have said we are not ever “going back” to the world we used to live in. We are moving into a very new “normal” which will forever be different from the “normal” we thought we knew. It will eventually become familiar and we either will learn to live with the new situation or we will keep resisting and keep having suffering. That can feel awful or it can feel exciting depending on what we choose to focus on. What if during this giant pause, the humans of the world figure out that each and every human deserves equal rights?
Nature helps me keep it all in perspective. The basics are showing up now. What really matters? How can gentleness give us the space to allow ourselves and others to not do this perfectly? 
What might shift if we exchanged fear for enhanced self care?
How might we soften if instead of being angry with someone of a different viewpoint, we were curious?
And if we’ve been able to fill ourselves up enough through our self care, how might we have the capacity for giving to others who may need some human connection at this time?
What if when we feel frustrated with the lack of freedoms we miss, we were able to utilize the Danish concept of Hygge and allow this giant PAUSE to be just the slower, quieter, more reflective, contemplative time we need? What might appear? Disappear? Shift?
So many paradoxes, so little AND so much time. 😉
