What do we do now? How do we get back to where we were? What is the new “normal”? Will I always feel this anxious? How will I ever get do overs for all the things I have missed?
Resilience is the capacity of individuals, communities, and systems to survive, adapt, and grow in the face of stress and shocks, and even transform when conditions require it.
How we do that and get there is different for all of us.
We must start by keeping or getting ourselves healthy. Do everything you can to minimize the risk of getting sick. Pay attention to your body’s need for exercise, nutrition, and rest. Stay connected to family and friends (I even have my 88-year-old father zooming with all of the family!). Normalize anxiety: It is reasonable and healthy to feel anxious. The challenge is learning how to cope with that. Respect your teenager’s grief and losses: Be sensitive to their misery. It is REAL. They may be missing things they have looked forward to for most of their lives. Be positive and don’t judge or micromanage: Trust them to figure out the small stuff. Remember they watch how you handle all of this constantly. Listen and ask questions that will lead them to figure out solutions on their own.
Ha! You may be thinking that is easy for her to say! No, none of this is easy or fun or anything any of us planned to do.
Breathe! Pray!
I recently came across some good questions to ask ourselves and each other every day, and I leave you with those:
What am I grateful for today?
What beauty am I creating or inviting today?
How am I moving today?
How am I getting outside today?
Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
How am I nourishing my spirit today?
Know that you all are thought of and prayed for constantly. We WILL be together soon.
Jayne Dwyer-Reff, RN,
School Nurse