Hey ,
How are you doing with sheltering in place? Are you adjusting to this new normal?
Are you able to work from home or are you passing the time until you can return to work?
Many of us are spending more time with our families, looking for creative ways to work, learn and play while we are practicing social distancing from our friends, neighbors and colleagues.
How's it going in your house?
I'm a natural homebody, especially because I travel a lot. I appreciate being home with my family when I have the chance.
And, although I'm enjoying the quality time at home, the sense of a loss of freedom to come and go as I please is a sobering reality.
A trip to the grocery store has replaced date night. That's weird.
We work mostly from home anyway, but not being able to freely enjoy the pleasures of the outside world is starting to create cabin fever.
Just the other day, I made a joke about how my husband misread the label on a box of crackers and he snapped at me.
I was taken aback at his reaction and immediately wanted to react, defend and snap back... I was feeling all the "reacts". Hey, my feelings were hurt by his "overreaction" to, what in my mind, was a joke.
Then it hit me. We were feeling the effects of cabin fever. And, if we didn't get a grip on it early in the game, we would have a strain in our relationship.
I'm happy to report that I acknowledged his pain, apologized and we hugged it out. I still wanted to cry though, (my emotions are on the surface from the world's pain right now)
I'm sharing this with you because I know that eventually the novelty of sheltering in place will wear off and we will start to get on each other's nerves.
During these times, it's important to stay emotionally centered, compassionate and loving with each other.
We are in this together, doing the best we can. But we are not perfect. We will make mistakes, say the wrong things, buy the wrong crackers, overreact and feel hurt.
Let's choose to be a role model for ourselves and our families as we all pivot to this new normal.
