A Mantra for Right Now

It’s a new month, so we have a new theme. And once again, it’s very appropriate for what we’re all going through right now – RESILIENCE.
 
There are a lot of excellent resources that have been circulating the last few days and weeks about finding resilience amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s an article that really hit home for me from the Harvard Business Review on how to cope with fatigue. I love the two-step process they outline:

• First, become more aware of what you’re feeling at any given moment.

• Second, calm yourself, regardless of what’s going on around you. One simple way to do that is through breathing meditation.

I feel that we all need some “calm” right now. We also could use a little pep talk. Here’s a mantra that does a little of both. I’ve been saying this one all week to myself and to anyone else who will listen:
 

“I CAN DO HARD THINGS.”

And how is it that we can do hard things? Here’s why:
 
“People mean well, but I wish they’d stop telling me that my traumas made me who I am today. MY RESILIENCE DID THAT. I won’t ever credit who and what tried to break me. All credit belongs to my ability to remove pieces that never should have been, and finding ways to rebuild.” – JS Lee.
 
Everyone has a story of something that has been traumatic for them. But the trauma is only part of the story. It also includes your resilience … your ability to bounce back and to overcome obstacles.
 
And just think, for every one of your worst days, you’ve survived 100% of them so far. You’re doing a GREAT job!
 
So, let’s get up (again), dust our weary selves off (again), and find HOPE from and with each other. Let’s work to reduce the stress of caregiving together, relying on our spirituality with positivity.

My pledge to you is to believe in YOU, even when you might feel you can’t do it, or you think you’ve lost your way. We CAN do hard things. TOGETHER.