Hey Party People,
In our big and vast world, it can seem like there are endless traumas and hardships but when we pay attention there are also endless miracles and triumphs. I have continually been hit with the message around the importance of being kind and of being in service to others. Sometimes, more often than we realize people just need a little ray of sunshine. They need someone to show them kindness, to smile at them on the street, to buy them a coffee at the Tim’s drive-thru, to pick up the phone and call them, to bring them OJ when they are sick, to give them a hug when they feel lonely. Acts of kindness have no limits, we as humans are the ones who limit ourselves.
Think about the times when you were struggling, were you not grateful for those who reached out to support you. Perhaps you had the opposite experience and felt more alone than ever, and you needed someone to show up for you and show you kindness. No matter where you are today you can be that ray of hope for others and the bonus is that it will also lift you up in the process. We can start with a simple question,
“How can I help?”
With more restrictions from our provincial government due to skyrocketing case counts – Alberta now has the highest case count in North America – people immediately feel defeated, angry, sad, anxious. The simple mention of restrictions and lockdowns now cause us to plummet into lower vibrations. It’s been a long haul and we keep hearing the end is in sight, yet we keep getting pulled back and each time I think we lose a little more hope.
I want to remind you that there is always hope and kindness inside of you – it’s up to us to find it, feel it, and if we have the energy to share it with others. More and more I am hearing from different people who are struggling, and how much shame they are carrying because they’re falling apart now, as opposed to earlier in the pandemic. Or they just can’t handle another lock-down. Covid fatigue is freaking real… We are now about 14 months into this long pandemic road and each day, week, month, seems to bring with it new challenges.
We have navigated an immense amount of uncertainty, a loss of control, and fear of the unknown when the world first came to a halt. We had no idea what was going to happen or how long this might last. For some the loss of control was devastating, the upheaval of our lives felt unmanageable. But we had to keep going for the sake of our jobs, our families, our City. We kept going. Now as we enter the third wave people are getting tired, and understandably so. We’ve been through a year of never-ending upheaval and falsified hope.
Despite the vaccination program underway there is still uncertainty around what happens next. And the impact this pandemic has had on our lives is not something that can be summed up in a nutshell. It’s also not the same from person to person or family to family. There might be similarities but how we respond and how we are triggered as individuals is different for each of us.
If you are struggling with isolation now more than you were this past year. It’s ok. If you’ve pivoted your business and stayed afloat but now, you’re hitting a wall. It’s ok. If you’re in a job that is expecting you to do the work of 3 and now, you’re running on fumes. It’s ok. If you’re lost, depressed, or just feel anxious about “nothing.” It’s ok.
YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THESE FEELINGS!
You are entitled to rest. You are entitled to the break that you need. It’s ok to be tired of everything around us and to be struggling now more than in the beginning. You might feel the weight that you can’t stop or can’t step back. If not now, then when? Don’t wait until you break to take notice, it is so important to take care of yourself. and to acknowledge what you’re going through.
I put on a brave mask of positivity for many months, pushing aside my feelings of stress and overwhelm because I felt I had “nothing” to complain about. What I learned is that I couldn’t compare my feelings to others, because they were my feelings to feel and my feelings to own. No matter what you are feeling, you are entitled to those feelings. And if you don’t feel like you can keep going or navigate this life on your own any longer this is your reminder that you matter, and this world needs you. Reach out or speak out, please. This world needs you.
For those of you who might have struggled more in the beginning and have found your footing in the past months, I ask you to take some extra time to be kind to someone else. Make a conscious effort to give a little extra love, attention, or support that others might need as we navigate this next chapter. We all need each other right now and if you have the energy and hope in your heart to give, we need you to give it.
Never forget that we carry a power within us to help and support each other. Let’s strive to be kind as we move through another transition. We can do this, one second, one minute, one day at a time.
Here’s an 80’s throwback Party Jam because I felt we might need to rock out this week.
With Gratitude,
-S
P.S. Here’s a throwback to a post I made early on in the pandemic to push through the uncertainty and focus on the things I could control. The big picture was a mess, but the small things I could influence - 10 Things I’m Doing to Stay Positive. This will take you back to my original site – so don’t be alarmed by the format change, it’s still me!
Thank you for being with me along this journey and I hope this week’s message was helpful. If you’re not subscribed yet, it would be the world to me if you would. If you think this post might help someone else, please share it with them. It could even be your small act of kindness for the day.
Take care of yourself and never lose hope.
