A positive outlook for your wellbeing..

Covid-19 has made the world stop. We all have been affected by this virus someway or somehow. Even though I am not infected with the virus it has affected the way many of us think, socially interact, eat, pray, work & parent. How we look at these situations can either make us stronger or break us.

Throughout this time I have learned and made the positive choice to :

• Embrace family time- We started quarantine last week. All five of us under one roof making the most of this situation. There have been too many pros to this. Trust me there are cons. I lost count on how many fights i’ve had to break up, toddler tears I’ve wiped and ongoing heated debates about hulk vs. Spider-Man that continue as soon as I leave the room...but DAMN.. I can’t help but wonder will any of us will EVER get this time with our children again? Will we ever be able to make the everyday distractions around us pause so we can enjoy just being us?

• Filter conversations- Limit conversations about COVID-19 with others. Being empathetic has its pros and cons. If you carry another persons nervous energy like me then capping off these conversations will help protect your peace. A good laugh, positivity, faith and distraction from everything HEAVY is welcome.

• Encourage more outdoor family activities- While avoiding large groups, playgrounds and anything that could have been touched there are other options! Picnics, sports, hikes and running. Embrace the fresh air, nature and sunshine.

• Focus on mental & physical health- up until now I have been on AUTOPILOT. Sometimes us parents are in survival mode just trying to get through the day that’s planned for us. Eating whatever food is the fastest or our children's leftovers. The past two months I have not made the time to cook the way I want to or exercise the way I should be. These last few days I have been able to cook and eat delicious meals with my family, cut out fast food, workout and meditate daily. Incorporate and redefine the self-care you need to thrive.

• Love my community- none of us have ever experienced ANYTHING like this. We are riding this wave together. Being apart of this community has made us more aware of who the helpers are. Everyone is working together to help others, obey the protocols and quarantine guidelines. Schools, businesses, healthcare workers, armed forces, delivery services are joining forces and working diligently around the clock to give our community the best care, education, food and support in this time of crisis. My family and I appreciate all of you immensely. My heart goes out to the parents who cannot be home with their families at this time. I urge everyone to continue offering a helping hand, check on your neighbors and offer useful information, resources and tools. Let’s come together!

• Continue a schedule- schedules can be extremely helpful for a parent trying to manage this new homeschool situation. I definitely asked myself plenty of times if I could do this. The best part of the this schedule is that you can create it! Get creative and incorporate exercise, creative play, family experiments, curriculum and much needed quiet time. Visit Pinterest or ask a teacher for some tips and educational ideas.

Yesterday, I read this quote “As a parent, I’ve learned to make my plans in pencil, not sharpie”- Kristina Kuzmic. I really cannot think of a more fitting quote for all of us living through this pandemic. Has parenthood toughened our skin for the unknown and forced us to learn how to take one day at a time? As the daily virus updates change I urge you to have faith, find your peace, happiness and balance. We cannot control all thats going on in the world but we can count our blessings, work together, obey quarantine rules and get creative with new ways to support one another. Most importantly we can spend time making memories with our family.

We will get through this.

Wishing you happiness and safety,

Jan