Who would have thought at the beginning of this year an epic pandemic would sweep across the world in a few short weeks? Certainly not me! I mean, everyone was shouting “20/20 this is MY year”, “This is the year for MY vision to finally come to reality”, and the best one “This is going to be the best year EVER!”. While all of these declarations are still very possible, let’s be honest, 2020 started out pretty rough. Is making it through a pandemic possible? I believe so!

I’m not one to stay in a negative place for a long period of time. Trust me, I’ve cried, worried, and yelled “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON???” and nothing. No answers to when this is going to end. Yet another doom and gloomy news report. Oh, and then I had to homeschool my THREE little kids. Um, yeah… this is end of the world type stuff.

You want to know the funny thing, in spite of all of the negative reports, sad phone calls about loved ones diagnosed or passing away from complications due to Covid-19, and conversations filled with panic, one night I realized something. I’m here. While the situation may not be great right now, I’m alive. I may not have a ton of toilet paper in the house, but I have three children to take care of. Life is moving on and I can’t stay in a state of worry and what-ifs.

My children were still in school, like many others, when the news about the Coronavirus hit. They came home explaining that they needed to wash their hands more frequently and much longer. If they felt sick they were to tell their parents immediately. The lessons on coughing in your elbow, using hand sanitizer, and not sharing food or drinks were all reinforced. And you know what, after that, for them, it was business as usual. Life moved right on along.

So after my very short visit to the land of the panicked, I jumped right back to reality and created a list of things that I am going to do try to make it through a pandemic. Here are some of the things I came up with:

1. This too shall pass! My grandparents lived through the great depression, my Mom through the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Friends battled through cancer, and many of us will never forget what we went through 9/11. Yet, we lived during these tough times and came through. We will get through this.
2. Focus on the good – Turn off the news. You do not need to know how many people died every single day. I mean c’mon, that’s not good for anyone’s mental state. Limit how much information you consume. I’m pretty sure you’ll find out what you need to know when you need to know it.
3. Stay connected – Just because we can’t gather together doesn’t mean we can’t stay connected. I have friends in South Africa that we only see once a year. Craig and I are just as close to them as we are with people we see weekly. How? The good ole telephone. It was a great invention that many of us can’t live without. Call a friend or loved one, share a memory, laugh a little, and check on each other. Connecting with others is key to healing and wellness.
4. Hydrate – Are you sick of me talking about the importance of drinking enough water? If so, sorry, I am going to keep talking about it because it is that important. Drink water! All. Day. Long. Stay hydrated. Oh, and don’t worry about stacking up cases of water. Try my favorite water filtration system.
5. Eat whole food –  I know now is a good time to hug up with a pint of chocolate ice cream. Why not? Doesn’t that make us feel better? Ok really, now is the time to boost our immunity and eat foods that will keep us healthy. Think rice, vegetables, beans, and organic meats or wild-caught fish. I know we are limiting the number of trips to the grocery store but when you do go, make sure you fill your cart with whole foods, not with stuff that has a ton of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, and that aren’t good for you anyway. If you’d rather have your groceries delivered, give Thrive a try ( I love them!) or delicious and easy to make meals from Sun Basket.

This is the short version of my list but it’s totally doable. Have a good laugh with a friend, enjoy creating your own burrito bowl, all while trusting that this too shall pass.
What are you doing to stay balanced right now? Share with us below.

Stay well Friends and let’s make it through this thing together!