Wait, is this normal?

If you’re like me, you’ve been anxiously and impatiently awaiting the return of “normal” life.

Thankfully, some normalcy has returned to my life. My family and I were able to gather together, which was wonderful after our separation due to the pandemic. That felt amazing! AND it was a lot of work.

My kids are back in school and both are playing select basketball. As a mom, I LOVE this. AND the schedule is exhausting.

The past two weekends, I’ve been around more people than I have in a whole year put together. It felt great! I enjoyed it. AND I found myself feeling like a bowl of Jello afterwards.

I’ve also had some unexpected challenges show up in my life. Not to worry, we’re all well and I'm grateful, as always, for the blessings in my life. AND these obstacles have felt especially overwhelming.

Have you had the experience of feeling worn out by something that used to be a normal activity?

Have you had any challenges pop up that seem more difficult than normal?

I’ve talked to numerous other women who are finding this time to be especially challenging. In case you’re in the same boat, here are the tools I’m currently using that I find helpful:

1. I’m catching the critical voice in my head who wants to tell me that I’m not doing enough. I remind myself that I’m doing the best I can!

2. I’m being gentle with myself and allowing myself to feel what I feel. There's no right way to feel - there's only my experience in the moment.

3. I’m resting when I need rest and saying NO to things that feel like too much. Those No's have felt life-saving!

4. I’m taking good care of my body and my spirit. My self-care practices have been crucial to my well-being.

5. I’m acknowledging all that I’m doing well. As an antidote to the critical voice, I've found it especially helpful to recognize I'm handling a lot right now!

I hope your journey back to “normal” goes smoothly. If it doesn’t, you’re not alone! I hope this serves you.

Love and light,

Mendy