Tag: Community

Kendall On Coping During Covid-19

by thesaltyexchange1 Comment on Kendall On Coping During Covid-19
Kendall On Coping During Covid-19

I am lucky. We still have income, our health, and general stability. What’s changed for me and my family is more cosmetic than anything. Vermont has handled the outbreak of COVID-19 with relative ease; this being a perk of living in a small and rural state. While we have had deaths in my state, we have had far more survivors. As of this writing, our current number of deaths sits at 58. It is still 58 people too many for my liking. People from all over New England are now flocking to Vermont to “ride out” the pandemic. This isn’t a joke- real estate has become competitive with out of towners looking for a second home oasis. Local businesses have rallied the best they can. Citizens are mostly responsible. Yet…

Yet for all those things, life has still been altered. Due to the economy, we had to take a temporary pay cut. Rosemary’s exposure to much of the world has been cut and/or limited but, luckily, she is completely unaware. Issy now works from home full-time and sees his coworkers from the computer screen. The list goes on… for all of us regardless if you see this whole thing as a hoax or not. 

COVID-19 has awoken a dark fear in me. My mother passed away very unexpectedly and quickly from the flu. Seeing the swift actions taken to try and save her are still fresh in my memory. When I think of what the coronavirus does or can do to someone infected, I see my mom. And I am afraid. I do not want to die that way. I am not ready to go. There is so much left to learn, live, and see. I am not ready to leave my daughter without a mother. Sufficed to say, I am more conscious of my health. Pair this new-found alertness with a seriously lethal allergy season that has been rife with breathing and throat problems galore and all I can say is that 2020 has kept me on edge. 

Despite the virus lockdown , I have been active with both myself and my daughter. I am always trying to figure out a new way to expose her to different things or a way to keep my mental health healthy. If you have any tips, PLEASE let me know. The alteration of one’s expectations and routines are never easy to accept but I remind myself that there are people who are truly struggling with the effects of this virus on a physical health, mental health, and financial health level/levels and I tell myself to, “STFU.” I am lucky. Life could be different. 

Being in quarantine doesn’t bother me so much. As an introvert, it feels like this is the general way I have lived my life- and no, that’s not sad. I like the quiet. I like being at home. What I do miss greatly about normal life though is the freedom to leave when I want or take my daughter to the grocery store with me. Every outing has to be fairly calculated and that is not always convenient. I miss date nights with my husband on Church Street- selfish, I know. I miss seeing all the local shops jam packed full with people during this time of year. It’s quieter and I know that means more financial burden for the community and its members. 

I have hope that a vaccine will be developed. But I also realize that the development of a vaccine isn’t going to instantly bring back our economy or restore people’s stability. That will come with time and time can be pretty darn cruel. Eventually though, life will resume to a level of “normal.” And when it does, I hope to see you; maybe even give you a hug or kiss. Until then, I hope you are doing ok and if I can do something for you during this crazy time, let me know.

Shari: Redefine Your Busy

by thesaltyexchange1 Comment on Shari: Redefine Your Busy
Shari: Redefine Your Busy

The redefinition of a word: a superpower you may never know you had. 

Recently I went on a walk with a friend. We were talking about motherhood and babies. She, a new mom herself, made a comment in passing about how “over-committed” I am and how that would have to change if I were to have a newborn.  

I laughed it off because she clearly doesn’t know how many responsibilities and leadership roles I have tapered off over the past two years and how slowed down my life has felt since the beginning of 2020 (even pre-Covid) but, nonetheless, her words stung.  I had to stop and utilize a skill I learned several years ago in my life coaching group.

During one of my life coaching meetings I came to the group super upset.  Multiple people that day had referred to me as being “too busy,” my life “so exhausting,” and even asked me “how do you have friends with a schedule like that,” etc.  It wasn’t the words that held the weight but all the nonverbal cues (ahem, Communication Major over here) like facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language told me these people clearly disapproved of my professional and social schedule. Why did it matter to them anyway? My life coach smiled and said, “instead of letting the word busy hold a negative meaning, what if you could change it? What if the word busy meant that you are putting your time and effort into activities, organizations, and people that you love? What if busy was a compliment?”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been letting other people’s negative connotation to the word busy upset me for far too long. It was time I realized that all my effort in leading a local young professional group, learning more about my Scandinavian heritage, and encouraging women and girls to get outside was serving me in all the most fulfilling ways. I didn’t think of myself as overcommitted; I was proud of my commitments. I chose each of them. I said “yes” when most would say “no.” I chose to push myself professionally and personally. I chose to get outside my comfort zone and make my community better. I was busy but in the BEST way possible.  

After that life coaching session, I felt empowered with my new definition of the word. It seems silly that we let a word hold so much meaning when we have the power to change our perspective- a superpower each of us possesses and can use at any moment!

The next time someone says something that feels deflating to you, rude, or insensitive, I challenge you to stop and think of ways that word can be redefined to better represent it’s presence in your life. For example, if your thoughts around the word healthy are negative, redefine what healthy means to you.  Go use that superpower!
**AND let me know what word you have redefined for yourself.