Give yourself time...
Mountain Fit Owner, Rebecca Williams shares her emotions & thoughts as we navigate this new way of life.
Can’t quite put a finger on how your feeling right now? This funk, the weirdness, this level of uncertainty… we are grieving. We are grieving the routine we had, the loss of the things we did outside fo our homes that brought us joy, we are missing our friends, our schools, our support system. We may feel like we have lost our momentum with our fitness routine, our eating has gone down the drain, and we feel a level of disappointment that is new. In the matter of days, our entire routine changed. Today,
I finally let myself give in to the heaviness around me, to acknowledge and own my own feelings and emotions. Many of us went into a “fight or flight” mode… but the adrenaline is starting to wear off and reality is kicking in. I am sure many of you, like myself have found the silver lining and found the little things that we are so incredibly grateful for right now. I have had more time with my family then I have in the past few months, or years! It’s incredible and rewarding and challenging. My bedroom is now my husband’s office, my family all needs a desk so I’m sitting around on the floor with my laptop, which had previously been preoccupied by a cute 6 year old. The changes are inevitable… we are all sacrificing in many ways.
In Steamboat, we are on day 4-5 of homeschooling, working remotely, making decisions to close our business doors, and establishing our new routines. Grieving is not complete in 4-5 days my friends, it takes time and is process. Allow yourself to stop and re-evaluate. It is okay to skip a few workouts, it is okay to eat like crap for a day or two, it is okay to lay in bed and grieve. Give yourself time to adjust, to heal, to figure out your new direction. If we were grieving the loss of a loved one, we would be nowhere near back to our normal routine. Take time to cry, to be sad, to be disappointed, to be pissed. Have a pitty party, lay in bed, and rejuvenate… rejuvenate so that when you ready to get back on your feet — you can. Acknowledge where you are, give yourself a few days, communicate with your loved ones, and then we will RISE UP. We will rise up stronger than before, we will be ready to create our new routine, to adjust our lifestyles, we will change what our fitness routine looks like, to eat well again, and to find happiness in our new normal.
When you are ready to RISE UP… here is what we will do together. I promise you- in 2 weeks, in 3 months, in 6 months you will be thankful you made time to go through this process.
RISE UP…. Wake up, put your make up on, get dressed, and be ready for your day! You may not leave your house, but you will feel way more human. Get out of your pajamas and sweats! Take a shower, brush your teeth, and eat a healthy breakfast. Sweats and pajamas are only allowed between 9pm and 9am. (Athletic leisurewear is considered getting dressed!)
RISE UP… Start your morning with a cup of coffee and a chat with a friend. Guess what, we can actually TALK (not just text) and connect with our friends. Even if it is 5 minutes, call someone who makes you smile. Who makes your heart feel good, someone that leaves a smile on your face even after you hang up the phone.
RISE UP…. Create a plan. Schedule a lunch break and a workout session. Make it happen. I take lunch at 1:30 (aka I workout) and my husband does after me. This way we both get a chance to disconnect and care for ourselves. When he’s working out, I don’t let the kids interrupt him. He gets an hour to himself.
RISE UP… Dial in a schedule. Your new schedule may look very different then what it was. Make a schedule that is so great that you may not want to return to your old ways! We like to have a long lunch/school break with the kids during the middle of the day. This means we finish school later in the day and go straight into dinner time. We have found that this flow works well for us. We are embracing starting school at 9a and soaking up a slower start to our day. We actually have time to cook breakfast for the kids, and a full hot lunch! Think outside the box!
RISE UP… Plan some evening activities. How about a zoom call/FaceTime with your girls and a glass of wine? Start a virtual bookclub with your support network. Pick a family game night, and keep it the same night each week. This gives the kids something to look forward to! Chose a date night. Put the kids to bed, grab a bottle of wine and have a late dinner with your loved one. Don’t get stuck in the same old routine.
RISE UP… Check in on your neighbors, your friends, you’re loved one. Let your community help you, and return the favor. Put down the junk food aka stress eating. You need to be as healthy as you can be right now so you can support your family, neighbors, and community.
RISE UP… this has been hard on you. Remember, your children are going through the same changes as you are. As adults, we can barely comprehend what is going on right now. How do you think they feel inside? Show some extra compassion. When you need a break from them, pass them off to a family member. Have their Grandma read them a book via FaceTime, have them call their cousins, have them FaceTime a friend… give your children an out… let them gripe about you to their friends (most likely you are doing the same thing!) They miss socialization as much as we do!
RISE UP… Take the time you need to regroup, strategize, and implement new plans. Set a deadline for yourself, a time when you will begin to emerge from this place you are in. Write down what you are worried/stressed about, meditate and pray on it. You do not have the ability to change much of what is happening around you. Once you write it down, you’ve acknowledge it, and work to let it go a bit. One day at a time.
When you are ready…. climb out of that bed… start your day with a new outlook… and get after it! Remember, grief can come and go. You may find that you slide back down to this grimy spot, but so make sure that you build on your support system while you are feeling good emotionally and be ready to lean in on the group when you find yourself struggling. We are in this together.
RISE UP, my friends. RISE UP for your family, RISE UP for your friends, RISE UP for your community, RISE UP for YOU.
We've got this!
Love, Rebecca
Homeschooling Steamboat Style!