For a minute there, I wholeheartedly agreed with those statements. Everywhere I kept seeing posts, blogs and comments with the same message….

“Now that you have more time, you should…”
“Now that we have slowed down, we need to refocus, and….”

But then it hit me: I haven’t slowed down!

My husband and I are still (thankfully) working full time.
We are still cooking, loading and unloading the dishwasher, doing laundry (which means… washer, dryer, folding and putting it all away… well, occasionally putting it away).

In addition to that, and even more impactful, we have embraced home learning while juggling many platforms and assignments for our kid, as well as trying to stay connected with friends and family.

Indeed, I haven’t slowed down. Yet, I feel the sudden pressure to do more, to come out of this quarantine even more accomplished than when it started.

Well, no! – At least not necessarily doing more.

Photo by Freddy Castro on Unsplash

This time is about embracing our new normal and recognizing that it will look very different for everyone.

It means that I wake up at 6AMish instead of 5AM.
It means that I go to bed later watching TV with my husband.
It means that I drink more coffee, and more wine.
It means that my son gets to play more Minecraft while FaceTiming his friends.

It also means… keeping the habits that add value to this journey and to my sanity.

It means I still meditate.
It means I still do some stretches and go out (terrace) to breathe.
It means that I still read and listen to podcasts.
It means I still write this blog every week.
It means that I allow myself to be vulnerable and to recognize that I don’t need to have it all figured out, structured and in perfect order.

“Vulnerability is not about winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up even when you can’t control the outcome.” -Brene Brown

How are you embracing your new normal?
How are you showing up?

Tool of the week: Brené Brown: The Call to Courage