I don’t know about you, but everybody I talk to lately is a little burned out, a little stressed, a little out of sorts. Maybe it’s the lingering effects of Covid and the uncertainty and stress that brings with it. Maybe it’s a tough time of year. Maybe we’re all going through some subterranean slow shift. Whatever it is, it’s making tempers flare, fuses shorten, and energy wane.
If you’re wondering if I have a fix for this, I’m sorry to tell you I don’t. But in my own little world, here’s what I’m trying:
Drink more water
Get outside when the sun is shining
Remember that everybody is trying as hard as they can
And finally: Do the things that make me happy. This is a big one. It’s easy to just keep pushing through, working harder, feeling worse. I’m not saying I’m going to throw away my responsibilities and let the chips fall where they may, but I am consciously choosing to connect with people I love, to read books that I can fall into, to binge-watch The Great British Baking Show, to light a candle that smells good while I do paperwork.
I listened to an interview this week with a man named Mitch Mason. He is the chaplain for the UNC Tar Heels football team, and this interview focused on his diagnosis and experience with a degenerative neurological condition. Hearing him discuss his work and his family (his children are the same ages as my own) really made me think anew about what I’m doing every day that is meaningful and that makes me happy.
And on that note, I’m going outside to walk in the sun.
Much love to you all!
