BE KIND ~ CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK

As we experience our third month of physical distancing because of the pandemic,  the reality of this long marathon is slowly sinking in. Many of us are experiencing quarantine-fatigue.  We rose to the immediate crisis that presented itself in March and found ways to cope with dramatic changes in our lives.  But we are tired ~ physically,  emotionally, psychologically, spiritually ~ and we still live in a traumatic situation.

We are all in stormy seas. But we are not in the same boat. 

Some of us are using our all energy to hold home & hearth together as we home-school our children, creatively communicate with loved ones in care-homes whom we have not seen for months, and worry about our jobs.   Some of us have been safe at home for weeks and weeks, but we are lonely and bored. We might feel guilty that we are lucky to be safe and well. Yet we wonder when we will be able to meet in person with our families, friends, volunteer groups and communities. Others grieve not being able to mark important passages like graduations, marriages, and deaths. 

Social media is full of Pandemic TO DO Projects. Virtual Puzzles. Home-made Masks. Sourdough Recipes. Closet Cleaning Tips. Finish your 2002 knitting project. For some of us, these projects have saved us from long days and sleepless nights. Others have not felt able to tackle spring-cleaning an overhead light fixture let alone a creative or a down-sizing project.  

Where are you in the mix?  Each of the descriptions above fits me in some way.  I have not accomplished a fraction of what I thought I would in the first days of self-isolation.

It’s time to cut ourselves some slack. The pandemic is not about who accomplishes what during this unprecedented time. We are not all responding the same way. We don’t all agree on how our governments and health officials are ‘opening up’. We don’t know what the future holds. We are inundated with COVID-19 info and yet we don’t know enough. Our lives are full of uncertainty. 

We need to be kind with ourselves and with each other.

For those of us who work as professional organizers, our work has changed, too. Many of us accompanied clients in person through the difficulties of moving or downsizing their own homes or preparing the homes of family members for sale. Now we are working by phone and video-calls or two meters apart for lawn consultations.

My work has always included consultations at a distance through phone and video-chat. That continues.  I also continue to offer an hour of free consultation during this pandemic time.  

We need to carefully consider our expectations. Cut yourself and others some slack. However, if you are someone who would like to talk about a possible summer project, I am glad to do so. Confidential. Professional. No shoulds. 

"Be Kind. Be Calm. Be Safe." (Dr Bonnie Henry, BC Chief Provincial Health Officer)