Hi! How's everyone doing out there?
I've been taking it real slow the last few weeks and it's been wonderful.
I've been careful with my psychological and emotional self-care. Limiting how much time I spend watching/reading the news and scrolling on social media.
I've only been writing and posting when it feels good.
The moment it was decided for me to shelter-in-place and work from home I felt safe and I noticed I had people in my life who didn't feel the same way.
Some shared with me that they didn't want to have their lives disrupted. That they didn't want to be stuck at home. Some told me they were young and healthy and if they contracted Coronavirus they'd likely recover so they weren't worried.
I never argued with them. I tried staying non-judgmental and let them live their lives and if I'm being completely honest, that process was difficult for me. Slowly, in time, many people in my life came around to the truth that drastic action was needed and that it was no longer about "I". It's a time of "we".
I'm working on content for a new weeklong offering I'm launching in April and we are going to get into core human needs during times of the pandemic.
Abraham Maslow an American psychologist created a classification system to reflect 5 main categories of human needs (1) being most fundamental:
(1) Physiological : food, water, rest, sex
(2) Safety: safety, security
(3) Belonging & love: intimate relationships, friends
(4) Esteem: self-esteem, prestige
(5) Self-actualization: achieving one's full potential
Our world has a fundamental need for safety right now and being home right now is our most effective and powerful act of self-care we need in order to meet that need. You're not stuck at home. You're safe at home. How does that reframe feel?
If you feel frustrated and at your wits end about how to deal with your cabin fever or loneliness I want to tell you I empathize. I empathize with your other unmet needs right now whatever they may be.
We are in this together and we will see this through to the other side.
Love,
Michele
Founder @womencanheal