Finding the balance.

   Life is all things. Good and bad. Up and down. Light and dark. Gorgeous and ugly. It must be so. With everything exists the equal and opposite. The good news about that is that if it is rough going you know the other side to the situation exists. So within all this chaos and turmoil there is calm and quiet.
   When we were in Florida it was 85 degrees and when we flew into Los Angeles is was raining. Somewhere it is sunny and somewhere it is raining. Our job is to be able to pull back from the micro to the macro . . . so we can see the situation from above. That enables us to look at it for what it is, maybe see both sides, then choose the way to go. This past weekend when we were traveling back from Florida during the rather chaotic Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to wear a mask. As we drove up to the rental car return we started seeing a lot of people with masks and it was very crowded. We unloaded the car, got our stuff ready to go and I put the mask on. It was very strange. Hiding most of my face it felt very uncomfortable. I like to connect with people as I pass by. I smile or give eye contact. I always have. While I was wearing the mask people wouldn’t look me in the eye or they would and it would be a judgmental glare.
   Wow!!! I was shocked. Oh, I wanted to take it off because I didn’t like what I thought people were thinking -- how is that for monkey minded people-pleasing. Risking catching some cold or something because I was worried people were judging me. Wow. I left it on. Took a breath and told myself it was none of my business what they thought of it.
   Then I had a question for the airline check in person. As I approached her, she too gave me that look but I just continued on. Excuse me, could I ask you a question? She laughed, “if you get rid of your mask” I was kind of shocked and then started to defend it, “I am wearing it because I am immune compromised and I have . . .” I stopped and realized I didn’t need to defend my choice to wear a mask. I plodded on. I got over it and was grateful to have it as I witnessed so many people coughing.
   My take away was to extend even more compassion, kindness and love for those all around us. People are scared and stressed. Most people are helpful and share the same needs: to be safe and healthy. When you see people in masks and you form opinions please remember that everyone is doing the best they can and trying, hopefully, to be smart, safe and stay healthy. On the other side of fear is strength.
For some great tips and tools to help get you through: sign up for the Mom summit. It starts today and it's five days of really helpful presentation -- my presentation is on Wednesday and: "Keeping it simple. Ways to manage your monkey mind with meditation and action." Join here. 
    And the group coaching membership is starting soon!!! Join in. It will be an amazing way to use this time of isolation and quarantine to breakthrough the fear and jump into our strength, to get coached by me, supported and have community.

Happy Tuesday. 

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