Friends, are you on coronavirus overload?? I know I am. No matter where we turn there is no way to avoid the new reality of the effect's of the coronavirus. You may be working from home instead of the office; your kids may be doing school from home and are starting to get stir crazy; or you've had to cancel events you've been planning for months; or you're experiencing financial loss and uncertainty; you may be around your spouse all day-and the adjustment period has been tough. 

Is Your Brain Tired??

After the roller coaster week we've had my brain is just TIRED, friends. I'm sure yours is too! My wife and I intended to do some praying and brainstorming this past weekend on what our next steps would be. However I found that after spending hours during the tail end of the week just trying to determine which way is up and down, I discovered that my mental capacity was less than zero. 

So, instead of pushing through I did this one thing-and it's the same thing I'm recommending that you do sometime TODAY:

I did something that brought me JOY.

For me that meant turning off the news and pouring many tall glasses of ice cold Coke Zero and binge watching Hallmark Channel. If you know me you know I love Hallmark movies and if ever there was a time for corny, formulaic, movies with a fairy-tale ending every time-it's NOW! And you know what? It brought me some moments of joy. 

24/7 Crisis Mode is NOT Sustainable

Our bodies and minds are not designed to operate in 24/7 crisis mode! If you do not unplug from the crisis matrix it will eventually burn you out and run your down (if it hasn't already.) I know-I know ... some of you are running on fumes because the situation demands it. I get it. 

There needs to be a point however, when you tell yourself, "I've done all that I can for now-and I will walk away. If the world needs me, they will find me. If there is news that I need to know, I'm confident I'll find out!"

• Then put a pause on your life and do something that brings you joy:
• Take a walk
• Make a great cup of coffee
• Listen to your favorite music-and BLAST it!
• Pray
• Reach out to a loved one
• Pray for someone else
• Start that hobby
• Watch your favorite show
• Eat a cookie (or a lot)
• Read
• Take a nap
• Play with your pet
• Play a video game with your kids
• Play a board game with the family
• Meditate
• Do yoga
• Go for a run
• What would YOU add?

Prioritize You and Your Loved Ones

By taking these moments of joy during the day you are actually helping yourself be more effective, more efficient, and more loving. Quite frankly, what the world needs now IS love, sweet love. By prioritizing you, you're also prioritizing your loved ones, and making sure you have the capacity to love well-especially when you're around everyone more than you typically are!

Start Here

Just for today, start with one thing-just one thing, that will bring you joy. Watch the impact it will make in your life both during and after this crisis passes. 

Until next time~thanks for reading!