Out of the Noise, Into the Silence

Over a year into pandemic life, its time to unplug....

Hey there,

How has the spring been unfolding for you thus far?

I've been noticing some collective themes during this phase of pandemic life:

• Burn Out: Over a year to keep moving through some degree of survival mode has been taxing our bodies, spirits, and nervous systems. It's taken a lot of reserves to keep going through the various personal and collective challenges of the last year. If you pay even remote attention to the news, and the developments in the US and worldwide, it can seem like we keep taking hits.
• Hope & Relief: With more daylight hours, and warmer weather easing back in the northern hemisphere, we are soaking in some much needed Vitamin D, and fresh air. The vaccine rollout, and overall decrease in Covid cases makes it seem like there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Things are looking good that we may be able to resume certain activities and safely give our loved ones hugs again in the foreseeable future. Yay!
• Fear & Apprehension: What are the unknowns we are going to face as we gradually ease out of pandemic life?

Do any of those themes resonate for you right now? Is there something else alive in you that I didn't mention?

One of my beloved friends recently compared these times to her experience running a marathon. She said, right now it feels like being on mile 22 with the end in sight, but there's still a ways to go. The pain and exhaustion of what we've been through is catching up with us. We know we can make it to the end, but it still feels so far away.

So here I am to tell you, my friends: "You can do this. We can do this. We've come this far. Catch your breath if you need to. Refuel. Then keep going. We'll get there."

What kind, encouraging things can you cheer yourself on about? We've all, no doubt, have tapped into our own unique flavor of resiliency over the last year. Pause for a moment to acknowledge how you've come all this way, despite all the challenges. Even if you're wiped, or your heart is aching, there is still something within you that has helped you get here. Can you acknowledge one to three qualities that helped you navigate this crisis?


Now, to tend to those tender, tired parts of us...

There is so much information, and opinions we've been bombarded with. It's a LOT of input, and we've not had much space to process. My invitation for you is to turn off and step away from the screens. Log off social media, turn off the TV, computers, and radio. Give yourself some time to just be. Lay on your couch. Take a nap. Go for a walk without your devices. Meditate.

What do you notice arising within yourself when you aren't absorbing more information? Witness whatever is here with compassion. Imagine you are airing yourself out, allowing your feelings to be carried up and out to the heavens by the wind. Cry if you need to. Or, scream, or yell, or sing. Move your body. Do an interpretive dance, or shake it out. The sillier you look the better. Offer your feelings as food and compost to the earth as a give away. Listen to the birds going about their spring time activities. Notice the buds on the trees, and the little sprouts emerging from soil after the long winter. Nurture seedlings on your windowsill. Take a bath.

While it is important to stay connected and informed, this time of silence, and reconnection with our bodies, and noticing is just as, if not more, important. Give yourself permission to exhale. We have a lot of resting to do to recover. This is only the beginning. Allowing yourself little windows of time to do this will take some of the edge off, and lessen the amount of processing you'll need to do later. If you need a professional to give you permission to slow down and rest, consider this it!

Alright, that's all I'm going to say for now. Feel free to leave a comment to share with us how you are doing, then go unplug!  

With love, and breath,
Sarah