Three things I learned to practice during the Pandemic

1. Understanding that EVERYTHING CHANGES.

Well, as a change agent, I understand that things can and do change. I have had more of an experience lately as to the speed and frequency of the change that can and does happen. What has your experience been?

There is so much information being presented and available to access that it is virtually impossible to keep up. The only thing in my experience I can be present for is my experience in my body and mind and how I respond to each minute, hour and day. Wow, I used to try to plan and then I learned that “things change” and some of my best made plans went out the window!

So now I set an intention of how I want to show up and do my best to stay present when I interact with others so I can witness and hold space, when possible, for their experience. Those experiences often include words, emotions, body language, and their inability to be present.

And when things are uncomfortable, I check in with myself and see if I am being true to my intention, my values and ask myself “How can I change?” “How can I show up differently?”

By speaking my truth I am often able to support others in becoming more aware of how they are reacting to a situation. Then I observe how and if the situation changes, and so it goes…

2. Taking care of my mind and body and improving my well-being and immunity to outside influences.

The fear exuding from the Pandemic was and is so palpable. The reaction to the “news” was extremely severe and I believe that is the intention of the news. To provide information that causes a reaction, otherwise why would we have new? My healing over the last 10+ years has helped me to understand that I can’t believe everything I think, hear or even see. By getting still and more centered in my body, I can separate out what parts of experiences I am connected to and what parts I need to set boundaries for. The news is one avenue I have chosen to set a lot of boundaries around. My reactivity to people being harmed or potentially being harmed is strong given my history and the way my nervous system developed. The way I rewire my response is to find time to breathe, do yoga, walk in nature, write and be creative, as well as help others. All of those activities fill my day and rewire my nervous system so I can stay present for what really is going on around me.

In order to provide coaching services I need to be present, in order to be a Speech Language Pathologist I need to be present, in order to be my best self, Mom and Grandma and friend, I need to be present. In order to be healthy I need to be present so I can do these activities and not become side tracked by the trauma and drama that is often presented in our media and in gossip. And so it goes…

3. Having compassion for each person’s individuality by understanding that we all have had our own experiences as we have lived in this world.

As we have all been made aware the country/world is divided yet again. People are either Vaccinated or Unvaccinated. These words group people and separate themcreating yet another division. During this time of great “labeling” and" “testing’ and “diagnosis” I have become more aware of how uncomfortable it is to be “labeled” or identified with a label. I just want to be myself, and I want others to be comfortable being themselves and make decisions that work for them. I so appreciate that my healthcare provider did not tell me what to do but empowered me to make my own decisions, stayed present with me and held space for me.

As a coach, the amount of positive change that comes from a person’s heart and head (wisdom and intuition) when they are supported and seen and heard is infinite! I have felt it on both sides of the conversation. So as I approach others, I listen, reflect, and stay present. I ask questions such as, “what is on your mind?” “how would you like to proceed?”. I find that each person has the ability and capacity inside them to make choices and decisions for themselves. I have experienced much more compassion during this time, both for myself and my choices and decisions and for those of others. And so it goes…

They say” Practice Makes Perfect”… not for me, “Practice builds awareness” . Each time I practice something intentionally I notice and am more present in my life.

Thank you for reading my Blog!