Across my college days, my Peace Corps days, and even into my mid- and late- twenties, my mom would, wherever I lived in the world, send me thoughtfully curated, beautiful care packages.
Tins of homemade cookies, scented soap, socks and underwear, favorite magazines, and always a handwritten note from her with maybe a sticker or two on it.
These packages were like tangible hugs across the miles and sometimes oceans.
Comfort in a box. Something sweet amidst hard times.
Today, the world collectively turns its attention to COVID-19.
As we feel and face our way through it all, you may be struggling.
You may feel anxious about getting sick. Concerned about your vulnerable loved ones.
You may feel worried about economic losses and what you see the stock market doing.
You may have your trauma triggers rearing up right now. Impacts triggered by all the not knowing.
You may be having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, feeling grounded, feeling steady.
You may be having a really hard time.
Please know that this is normal and natural.
There is no one “way” we’re supposed to feel amidst the COVID pandemic.
Anxiety is a normal and natural response to the unknown, and let’s face it, there’s plenty of that these days.
And still, though, we want to try and support our nervous systems however we can as we cope with this added stress.
When you can’t calm down your nervous system, when you’re running on high alert all the time, it’s like trying to run a marathon at a sprint pace.
You will burn out. You will feel the huge physical impacts of it.
We may be facing a proverbial marathon-like situation since we don’t know how many months it will take for COVID-19 to become manageable.
It’s a proverbial mental health marathon right now and we can’t have your nervous system on high alert (aka: sprinting) across all of that time.
To that end, while I can’t send each of you an actual tangible care package, today’s post is my 2020 equivalent of what my mother has always done for me. A digital care package of comfort to see you through hard times.
A “care package” of comfort for trying times.
It’s a curated “package” of my words, thoughts, tools, and resources. (Including a guided audio meditation spoken by me and a book I’m making free to you.) All designed to bring you a little comfort, a little more ease for your nervous system. And more peace for your mind in these trying times.
I hope that any, some or all of it feels supportive to you. That even one post or one sentence can help support your nervous system to regulate. I hope that this post feels good to you.
