Getting Away to Get Together

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

                                                                                                       – Christopher Robin

Sometimes it is that simple. Let's explore your adventurous side and find courage and connection in the unknown. 

Whether your last year has been a never ending series of challenges, or a really good one, it's sure to have been a far cry form an ordinary one. For many, Covid has become a time of monotonous isolation. Social distancing saves our bodies, but it's detrimental to our mental health. We're human; we need each other. We support each other through times of strife. When we can't share a hug, a smile, or feel the touch of a loved one, we feel disconnected. In you loneliness, you are not alone.

"Loneliness is the poverty of self. Solitude is the Richness of Self." 

                                                                                   - Mary Sarton

How can we safely reconnect with our loved ones and ourselves? Let's remember that this was a big year. All of us are a year older and have a new breadth of experiences we didn't have 12 months ago. We aren't the same people we were a year ago. Getting to know you now is it's own adventure. You have grown. Your friends, family, and partners have changed, perhaps in big ways, perhaps in seemingly imperceptive ways. Remind yourself the people you have known for years may be different people. Sharing your changes and honoring each others challenges and growth can be a great way to reconnect. 

Remember to keep 6-Miles apart. 

Have you finished Netflix yet? Staying home with a constant stream of media leaves us very little time for reflection and our own thoughts. Find a way to give yourself space for your own ideas to flourish. Physical distance from your day to day routine can get you out of a rut and inspire new ideas and feelings. Turn off the GPS, get in your car and drive, take a hike, or even make yourself a picnic in your backyard. There are so many ways to get creative at getting out.  

One Small Step

Stepping out of your comfort zone can change you more than you think, and it doesn't have to be overwhelming. We don't take a journey in a single step. Likewise, your journey to connect with yourself and grow, is done one step at a time. Just find the first step, and take it. Perhaps it's taking a class, working out, or just making a phone call you've been putting off. When you do what you've been putting off, it feels amazing. 

Know thyself

All this getting away and self reflection has a point. When you know yourself, know what really feels good for you, know what doesn't work for you, you can then communicate that clearly and consistently to others. Remember that the people you know may be connecting with the old you, and you may be connecting with an older version of them. Celebrate your people and who they have grown into. Remind them they are important, and their journey is important to you. When you do this, you not only support them, you offer to them that everyone else, including you, has their own journey. 

There is nothing so wonderful as to be truly seen and accepted by our friends and loved ones, and no greater gift which we can give them than the same.