3/14 Reflections on yesterdays post

I sit here cruising across the country and contemplate my post from earlier. It is something I have felt very strongly about since all of this news first broke. Despite all our differences we are are all still very connected.

So how have I been able to stay very positive through this? Since last year I’ve been on a journey in my own life and I have seen some dramatic changes but I’m no where near done. That being said, I have never been someone to look at the unfortunate circumstances that happen in my life, rather the blinders go on and all I see is survival and looking forward. When this illness fell on people in China, how did it make you feel? When it hit our shores, I bet that feeling turned to fear? But why? Are you scared of getting it, or for your family getting it, or are you scared for others...or is it simply the unknown?

I watched the President’s speech like many of you, Thursday night, and when he said he was stopping all flights from Europe, I will admit it hit me more, maybe even finally hit me. That actually hit me more like a 9/11 scenario, yet once again. You remember where you were, and what the next few weeks brought, don’t you? We have been here before to those of us older than 25. I know this is a little different circumstances but the gravity of it, is impacting us all in different ways, yet it’s very similar to where we have been.

For me personally, I know fear is an emotion I don’t make time for. It is an emotion that I believe we personally create and the degree we create it, comes from our “world view” and it’s based on experiences in our lifetime. Now I have jumped out of planes, swam with Great White Sharks out of the cage, and even walked on the wing of a plane, and I have learned through those and other experiences that “Fear, simply comes from a lack of knowledge.” The fear you may be feeling right now is probably coming from not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Will it bring this virus to your state, your doorstep, my doorstep? I don’t know, but I do know I can control my actions and do the best I can do to stay healthy, including washing my hands, eating properly, working out, and that way should it come to myself or my family, I am in the best state I can be to wage any battle I may need of my body. I’m adding certainty in the things I can control in my life.

I also know that the mind is a very powerful weapon for us all and any stress you allow in, degrades your armor. If the faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain, it can also destroy it.

So what to do? If you have kids that are too young to know what’s going on... remember THEY ARE WATCHING YOU! If you are scared, they will get scared too. Don’t degrade their armor, instead be a ROLE MODEL. Prepare, get all the toilet paper you want from the store, but be on the offense, not the defense. Your family is depending on YOU to take care of yourself. We all need you to do that. As my friend, I NEED you to do that!

Find some certainties in your life. Clean your house, if the illness is coming near your community, pull your kids from school, like we did on Friday. Not out of fear, but out of control and responsibility that you have to them. If there are questions or “grey” areas that pop up, make them black and white as best as you can and take the more conservative approach. Have the tough conversations with your significant other that if one gets sick, what should the other one do? Where will they go? How about the kids? That will alleviate your fears, and give you control over them, instead of letting them control you.

Most importantly hug the ones you love and tell them you love them, just like I’m hugging all of you right now still reading this. You, I, WE got this! Let them know that and you know it as well! EVERYDAY until this goes away(and after), because it will be gone soon enough. Believe that! Just like I believe in all of you, and love you very much! Have a blessed and a great day and weekend, and now go make this day and this LIFE EPIC!

#selfacceptance #lifestyle