I know the secret to feeling in control-at least temporarily. We live in an uncertain time. COVID-19 is creating some big changes for my family and me. I’m guessing you face this as well.
My college-aged daughter and two high school-aged teens started online learning from home this week. My husband started working from home as well. We are doing our part to self-isolate to help flatten the infection curve, in case we are unknowing carriers and to prevent exposure to others who are ill. It’s a whole new world. We have workstations set up, food preparations made, and new routines to establish.
So much uncertainty elicits feelings of vulnerability and fear. It’s not a fun experience. Today, I offer three ideas to step out of fear and into a sense of control.
- The quickest path to a sense of control is to tidy a drawer. Take a before photo of the drawer. Let’s say you’ve chosen the kitchen drawer where you toss packets of sweet and sour sauce, straws, plastic silverware, etc. (I know you most of you have this drawer.) Empty the drawer onto an open counter. The first step is to SORT LIKE ITEMS. The second step is to TOSS what is outdated, broken, icky, and not going to be used by you. Third, FIND A STORAGE SOLUTION. Look in your home for little boxes or small food storage containers (minus the lids) to contain and separate what you are keeping. These separators help to define how much you will keep. When it becomes too full, that means the time has come to reduce the quantity. Next, before placing anything back in the drawer, wipe it out. Finally, ARRANGE IT IN THE DRAWER. Place the small separators neatly into the drawer. If you have limited containers, use the space between the little boxes to be its own storage zone. Take an after photo and brag to someone else how you created order out of chaos. Do this every day and you’ll get your home in order and feel more in control.
- Create a “loose ends” master list. Start in one room and make a list of all those things you started but didn’t finish. Once the list is made, decide which ones you really don’t care about doing anymore. Ask yourself, “If ________ [insert name of a friend who annoys you] told me I had to finish this, how would I react?” If your reaction is to rebel, that means you really don’t want to complete it. Unless that task is life-altering in some way (i.e. doing your taxes), then disassemble the physical stuff connected to that project (toss, recycle, put supplies away). Sing “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen. Then go to your “loose ends” list and cross off the deleted tasks. For the remainder of the list, finish the loose ends one task at a time. You are going to feel like the King of the World.
- My last idea is to make an Appreciation Jar. Find an empty jar, grab a piece of paper and pen. Each day, write down one or more things you appreciate about your situation. Fold those slips of paper and place them into the jar. Pretty soon, your appreciation jar will be overflowing. Here’s the truth: what you pay attention to is what grows. When you focus on how crummy the situation is, you find more things to feel crummy about. When you notice the good things that already exist, you experience a greater sense of abundance and security. And that, my friends, directly leads into a sense of control. For example, I appreciate that we have a comfortable home to be together in. I’m so grateful for internet service and technology. What a blessing to have enough money to stock up on additional groceries. It’s a freaking miracle that I can walk to a sink and have warm water come out. I appreciate that my husband can walk because three weeks ago, he could not walk due to a herniated disc. I’m not manufacturing good things. These have been here all along. After spending a time in awe and amazement about what I actually have, I am in a totally different headspace. If feels amazing. Try it and see.
I hope these ideas have been useful. I wish you and your loved ones good health over the next few weeks. We cannot control what is happening, but we can control our reaction.
May all your hands be sanitized,
