Hello, my friend!!

COVID-19 is truly changing the landscape of all of our lives.  

My parents have been sharing stories this week about their lives. The common thread of their stories is that people can overcome adversity, and when things get scary and change feels like it’s coming at record paces, people persevere. My parents are in their 70’s and they have a perspective that is different from some of us younger. This is a beautiful time to rely on those memories of people who have more experience. We WILL be ok but there certainly are a lot of unknowns at this time. 

With sudden time at home, I have been able to recommit to my blogging. My mission has not changed – My goal is to spread love and light, far and wide. 

If anything, I have more fire in my belly do this work than every before. My goal is to be of service to you. What feels scary? What can I do to help? What do you need from me? Please reach out. I don’t have all the answers, but I do know lots of people and perhaps can connect you with the resources that can help.

I’m a teacher in the Boise School District. We have an extra week of spring break this week (March 15-20) and a scheduled spring break March 23-27. I am very much aware that many of you now have your family members at home with you. You might not be used to that.

I went on FaceBook live yesterday (March 16) with 5 tips to working at home with loved ones. If you haven’t found me on Facebook, I invite you to get connected there. I decided that each day I’d like to offer some help.

On the blog today, here is a written version of that Facebook live video with 5 tips to working at home with loved ones. 

Click here for that link to be taken to the blog. 

1. Give yourself and your loved ones grace. This is going to take more than a couple of days to figure out and to find a routine. Be gentle with each other. Prioritize kindness above productivity. The work WILL get done, but its going to be done differently. This includes both your work and the school work of your kids. Which leads me to tip number 2.
2. Focus on the activity, not the results. Measure the amount of time you spend on a product, not project completion. This will help to you and your loved ones practice grace for yourselves and each other. This means that if you work on something for 15 or 30 minutes, no matter how much you get done in that time, you are successful. Changing to this focus can help you feel more productive and more in control. As Olaf tells us in Frozen II, control the things we can and let the rest go. (I have no affiliation with Disney or Frozen II… but I am a fan.)
3. Divide your time into 30 minute or one hour increments. Looking at a whole day to fill on your own when your are used to your schedule being filled to the max can make you feel anxious and even afraid. It can exacerbate a sense of loneliness, too. Creating even a soft schedule can help. Again, we can focus on what we can control and let go of what we cannot. 
4. Set boundaries and take breaks. This is important for every family member. An idea for boundaries is the “3 B’s”. I used this when my daughter was little and use it with all of my choirs to teach singers when it’s appropriate to get off of the risers in performance. Another tip is to use times. Set timers to create work time, play time, reading time, etc. These timers vary by age, of course. For very young children, 15 minutes might be the most time you can expect, but that would be 15 more minutes than you have now. Give each other breaks and go into different places in your home: different rooms, different pieces of furniture, etc.
5. Reach up. Connect to people who (at this moment anyway) are dealing with stress, helping other, your spiritual teachers. We need to rely on others in moment where we don’t feel brave or strong. It’s ok to need help. It’ ok to need connection. In fact, our human connection is even more important. 

You aren’t alone in this. We are all in this together as a planet.

Take time to breathe and meditate. Here is one of my favorites. I’m taking advantage of this time to write more. Stay tuned.

I’ll be back in a few days with tips for extroverts during this time of social distancing/cocooning. 

Wash your hands. Practice excellent personal and household hygiene. Social distance when it’s appropriate and available. 

We are all in this together. 

All my love,

Brenda

XOXO