By Kristen Donia —
This year has been one for the books. Everywhere we look there are resources to combat all the stress as well as an overwhelming feeling from many of us to celebrate the joys the holidays often bring, early. Bring on the Christmas trees, menorahs, and kinaras.
Outside of school, social engagements are different too. Coronavirus is the elephant in the room. It’s now become even more vulnerable to venture out into the world, be it the store, a friend’s house, or even a walk or drive with someone. Parents are doing their best to keep children and themselves healthy and safe while also encouraging an overall sense of community and togetherness for their families.
New school regulations have put classes into more of a home school approach. A distance learning environment that involves the student, a computer, and classmates, with the instructor on the other end.
The question is, with so much time behind the screen, how are you feeling about yourself?
Do you find yourself leaving the house if even for a drive?
Do you or your family cook meals at home together?
Are you feeling like you can express yourself creatively?
Do you have someone you can talk to?
Are you feeling fulfilled socially?
Are you getting out enough?
Does it sometimes feel like you are bouncing between one screen and another, checking your texts, and also constantly logging into your email for assignments and due dates?
One thing that’s quite different is the privacy and ability to focus. You’re distance-learning from the comfort of your own home, allowing the time and space to get as ‘ready’ as we want to each day. Hello – freedom. Also, the ability to make your own choices, feeling that freedom can often be liberating and lead to a more defined sense of self. Establishing confidence in our abilities.
When we rely mainly on ourselves to manage calendars and projects, we are taking the most active role in our education and also in our future. We are making decisions that are in our own best interests, due to limited distractions.
Perhaps this pandemic has brought to light the spaces we need to grow AND where we excel. The more feel-good feelings we have about ourselves, the more positively we feel within our body & mind.
Making choices that liberate and inspire, creates more space for what we DO want, how we want to feel about ourselves, and the life we create each day. The future may feel uncertain sometimes, but if we ground into the next thing, be it school, personal, or professionally-related, we take small steps towards building the life we want and all the feel-good vibes along the way.
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Kristen Donia is a freelance writer living in a tiny house she built in sunny Southern Oregon. She has a Bachelors Degree in Education and has dedicated her life to studying and writing about empathy, vulnerability and enriching the human experience.