GRATEFUL PART II
We’re closing in on about a month of this global pandemic. I’m sure you’ve all been coping in your own way and may have actually come to terms with the fact that your life is going to be different for awhile. The now plentiful stillness and silence could have been welcomed or could be so overbearing and loud and that it’s deafening. I feel like I went through the stages of grief of whatever our previous lives were in a few days. Now, my mind is flooding with thoughts and emotions that I can’t stop writing. I feel like I’ve reawakened.
TECHNOLOGY
What if COVID-19 happened 10-15 years ago? Would we all be able to communicate with our loved ones in the way we do, continue to work from home, and still feel connected to the world? My guess is absolutely not to all of those. I admit, I get annoyed with technology a lot because I feel like I can never turn things ‘off’. Sometimes I feel like if I hear another ding notification, I’m going to throw my phone against the wall. But with how advanced we are with technology, so much of ‘normal’ life has continued, it’s just packaged a little different. Now here we are, holding virtual meetings and coffee talks. You may be sitting in your alone in your house but could be in a ‘room’ with 50 people. In a way, we’ve never been more connected to people than we are now.
MY HEALTH
My life has always revolved around sports. Whether I’m participating in it or am coaching it, I am constantly surrounded by sport. Because of this, I’ve lived a pretty active lifestyle and thoroughly enjoy finding new ways to accomplish that. I come alive when I go for a run, hike with Abby, or get out on a country road on my bike. I get irritated when I throw my back out making my bed (true story) or when I’m so sore I can’t pick something off the floor. But never have I been so grateful to still be healthy enough to life my life, to live a life at all. The world is currently being engulfed by sickness and death, and I count my blessings each and every day that I wake up and can go out and still live the life that I enjoy.
ABILITY TO BE ALONE
I’m not your typical person who thrives in going out to events and meeting new people. To be completely honest that sounds like one of the last things I would choose to do. I’m a loner. I love being by myself and when my days are typically surrounded by hundreds of people, is actually necessary to feel ‘normal’ again. People who only know me as a coach may laugh at this, but I get overwhelmed when things are too loud, or there are too many people, or there isn’t enough space around me. I guess when it comes down to it, I need space, physically and mentally, and boy am I thriving in a life filled with social distancing! But does being alone mean I’m lonely? Absolutely not. I need human interaction like everyone else does, especially now, just not as much.
CONFIDENCE
This can be interpreted and applied to many different avenues, which is my point. My confidence is something that has taken years to refine and is still a work in progress. Whether it’s who I am as a human being, my career path, or among others, my relationships, once I feel like I’ve nailed something down, I have insecurities in another area. Are there times when I question what the hell am I doing? Almost daily. So why am I saying I’m grateful for my confidence? Because I’m confident in the fact that life is an evolution and that I need to continue to grow. I am confident in the fact that I have to challenge the way I am and think in order to be a better version of who I am. I fought for years trying to gain the approval of others, when in reality, it was my own approval I was looking for.
For me, it’s been really interesting sitting back and watching people through this, almost getting to know them better. Getting to know ME better. I truly believe that moments of adversity show your true character. Let who you are shine! This is an opportunity to hit the reset button and understand you and the world differently. And with that, I am grateful for this opportunity.