The Boat You’re In
Survival mode.
We have been hearing the term a lot lately because the last two years have presented challenges we could never have seen coming. And life hasn’t stopped. In the midst of the most uncertain, up-in-the-air times we have experienced, we’ve been asked to keep on keepin’ on.
But that kind of uncertainty and constant change doesn’t lend itself to actually thriving. For most of us, excelling in anything feels like something we used to do – not something we can imagine doing right now.
And you know what?
It’s okay!
We keep hearing that we are all navigating the same storm, but we are not in the same boat. While some days it may feel like your boat is full and about to sink, other days, that boat feels like the loneliest place in the ocean. If all you can do is keep it afloat, you’re doing what you need to do.
So say it with me: “It’s okay!”
I’ve also seen the other side of the coin: the family who has found the pandemic a blessing. They haven’t faced employment struggles, online school is working just fine, being together 24/7 has created a sense of unity, rather than causing them to go stir-crazy. I’m genuinely happy for those people. Those are the people we can perhaps turn to for a listening ear and to take our minds off the issues that are plaguing us. They can lend us a balanced, supportive shoulder when we need it. So, if you aren’t one of them (I know I’m not!), be grateful if you know someone rowing that boat calmly – they may be able to lend you an oar, an arm, or perhaps even a seat in their boat for a little while so you can catch your breath.
Stay in Survival Mode when you need to. Remember, there are plenty of people who are just staying afloat without actually going anywhere. And, I welcome you to peek over into my boat… as a Therapist, you might expect mine is being rowed by a family full of smiles and working in sync. I hope it gives you some comfort to know that here we sit with my children fighting, the laundry about to sink us, and cereal for dinner… again.
Hang in there. 💖
