In the hard weeks, and when we face the most difficult truths about ourselves or about humanity or about life, we have more needs. Change and loss are painful and complicated, and in the midst of global uncertainty, even more so.
My practices have become even more important to me, the last week. My self-care practices. My faith practices. My centering and certainty practices. My emotion work. My connection with friends.
The tendency, when we go through hard things, is to isolate or cordon, or self-protect. But I’ve been doing the opposite of my fears the last week, and it’s been helping me stay connected.
When I’m afraid I’m too much, I text someone. When I’m afraid of my feelings, I feel them. When I’m afraid of the risk, I take it. When I’m afraid of the manuscript, I open it. When I’m afraid of what might happen, I calm and center. I disconnect from the fear whenever I can.
I start my days with reading, with meditation and prayer, with calm. I sit in that calm as long as I can. I do a lot of remembering, and a lot of forgiving, and a lot of centering. I know how hard that can be, and I know how necessary it is. Just remembering the feeling will pass if I feel through it, even if it’s icky to feel in the moment.
The way we handle fear and pain is our resilience. Even when we don’t want it (no one wants this). I can do this. <3
Center yourself today. Breathe. Do the hard thing. You’ve got this.
– Becca
