The Quiet

My blog has been a bit quiet and I don’t need to go into too much detail as to why. The world is upside down and we’re all searching for a new norm. We have no idea what tomorrow holds, let alone the next year. Because of this limbo, I’m determined to be here in support while we all navigate these challenges ahead of us, today and always. I believe there is still so much goodness and even more to come.

This experience reminds me a lot of when I was pregnant. Living every day uncertain of what the new norm would be once my little one arrived. I can tell you this, what I thought it would be ended up being nowhere near reality. Nonetheless, I remained hopeful throughout my pregnancy, newborn stage, toddler stage and even now that I have the chance to learn, adapt, and grow every day as a parent. Yes, it is hard to keep up. Something may have worked just yesterday and now it could be completely failing me. I often become easily overwhelmed when yet again I need to troubleshoot and problem solve the same issues over and over. Even on the low days, the days where I feel like I did nothing right, I feel immense gratitude for the the chance to try again tomorrow.

Remain Connected

Right now, our world is rocked and our hearts are worried about what is to come. I find that remaining hopeful and grateful have been my greatest weapons against the difficult feelings. The heavy weight of fear, anxiety, loneliness, and devastation lifts when I challenge them with the good stuff. I intentionally remain connected to my loved ones and my community because when I see them struggle, it is my job to help lift their weight.

Being Responsible

Yes, we do need to be responsible for ourselves and our well-being. Also a big huge “YES” that we are responsible for those around us too. When looking for ways to help, simply look for those who relied on you for support all along. The homeless, the elderly, and the sick are all obvious groups we can make an impact with through our assistance. Small businesses might be the less obvious group, a group I am honored to be a part of.

Looking at these images, I can easily spot several small businesses and their hard work being represented. These are parents, sons, daughters, caregivers, people who are now struggling to make ends meet because their income has come to a screeching halt under the circumstances. Please remember them and do what you can to encourage and support them even more than before. Interact with them on social media, buy gift certificates, send them referrals, sport their art and share it! I promise, you will be met with hope for a better tomorrow and gratitude for the gift of your kindness.

Til next time, cheers!