How are you doing with sheltering at home? Are you keeping in touch with someone to make sure you are not social distancing but not isolating?
We all need a BFF (Best Friend Forever) someone who we can reach out to for any and all reasons. Someone you can touch base with when you need someone to hear your voice or more importantly when you need to hear a voice other than your own. I am blessed to have 3 women in my life who are drastically different from each other that I call my Three Musketeers. I know that at any given time I can call, text, email, Facebook message or show up at their door and they will be there for me. Recently I was able to interview one of these women Aimee Pollock on the Community Voices podcast.
Aimee and I met in the 6th grade and in our freshman year in High school became connected at the hip. (That was only 10 years ago, that’s my lie and I’m sticking with it) Aimee is a Paramedic in our state (CA) capitol on the 911 call route, a mother of a blended family of 5 kids and is building her own side business Mama P’s bakery. Aimee has a lot on her plate at any given time and yet even with seeing the worst in humanity daily she is still there for me even when I text her a punny meme because it made me laugh to hard or when I have a day that getting out of bed just seems to hard. Right now we all need to be this person. We need to understand the true impact we have on each other even when we can’t be there physically in person. In this day and age we have so many ways to reach out to people globally. You don’t even have to talk to someone to check in. Text them, Hey how are you today? You can post on one of their social media platforms saying Hi, reaching out to check in. I found out last night if you post a picture math problem on Facebook that people you haven’t heard from in years will comment trying to figure out the answer. I responded to each comment individually just to touch base and let them know I see you. I asked different questions and wished everyone well in private messages because right now we need to know we are visible, we matter and somewhere someone does care. Let’s take this time to breathe and be good to ourselves. We all cope in our own ways but let me tell you when I hear alcohol usage has gone up by 43% and domestic violence calls have doubled if not more in some areas my heart drops. If there was ever a time we need to step up how we take care of ourselves it is now! We can make the choice to eat better because we should be home cooking not going out to fast food. When you go into a grocery store you will notice the inner shelves are empty not the fresh fruits and veggies. We should be taking the time to realize what habits we have built because our daily routine has been completely changed. We should realize that time has not been the issue it has been what we have prioritized. Personally I have come to realize a lot about myself because well I have more time on my hands. I have realized that the day still has the same 24 hrs in it and it is up to me to be disciplined and self motivated to make life happen. If Aimee can help home school kids, work a minimum of 12 hour shifts as a first responder during a time of panic, find time to spend with her husband and still find time to bake for her new business … well folks we have no excuses. It’s tough sometimes downright hard as my friend Georgie says, to have the want to, to want to. This is why we need someone to reach out to. Maybe you don’t have this person in your life right now. There are great resources you can reach out to with people who want to help and are qualified to help you. There are groups on social media that people who enjoy the same hobbies or crafts as you. Groups of nothing but memes that make you laugh, join in! We can still be social without being in person. We can still be connected you do not have to be by yourself. If you want to talk skin care message me! You want to talk about ways to eat healthier message me! Do you have any great animal memes or fluffy puppy pics? Message me! Find me on social media as The Elegant Tomboy.
I’m not here to tell anyone what to do, I am here to simply remind you that life no matter what it throws at us is still worth living and you are not alone.
Covid 19 is a game changer on so many levels, let it be the event that reminded you to dream again, to dust dreams off and go after them. Technology is on our side my friends.
Today, right now, make the choice to be better not bitter. Until next time my friends, Carpe Diem!!!!!!!!!