I can only speak for myself, but these pandemic days are hard. Even as states, towns, and communities start to slowly reopen, this new normal is challenging, stressful, and uncertain. For the first time last weekend, we ventured out as a family. Nothing really significant, we just needed to run a few errands and dropped something off at the grandparents’ house. Even the most unimportant, seemingly mundane trips are an ordeal. Do we have our masks? Do we have cleaning spray to disinfect? Did the kids keep six feet away from their grandparents? So many questions and so much watching and worrying about a next step or wrong move.
In other posts, I have described this pandemic as a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, and now I just want to get off, sit on the bench, have a cold drink, and just take a break. Of course, we cannot take a break. We have work to do, homeschooling to oversee and facilitate, and just so many other responsibilities to address. I keep telling myself that I am doing the best I can, trying to mentally give myself a break, and give myself credit for doing the work. It is hard, so hard, not to feel like you are failing, letting someone down, and missing the mark with just about everything. I was chatting with a student the other day, and we were sharing our struggles and her frustration with low motivation, less than normal levels of energy, and her disinterest in really engaging with her coursework - all highly unusual for her in "normal" times. I listened, encouraged her, and then leaned into our conversation and shared that I thought success just looks different right now. Just about everything through a COVID-19 lens looks different and we have to notice and name this for ourselves.
Our old routine, plans, and expectations just do not apply right now. When I am feeling frustrated and tired of all things pandemic, I try to remind myself that it might just be enough that I am showing up. Just showing up might be all that we can ask for right now. This might sound like a very low bar or an excuse for not meeting expectations but think about it for a minute. We are socially isolating in all sorts of challenging circumstances - kids at home, first time working remotely, managing the loneliness, the fear, the uncertainty, and lots of general discomfort. Committing to your schedule, going to a meeting, helping your kids with a lesson, sharing lunch with a spouse or family member, or doing the thing that you love to do for your own sanity could and should be enough right now. Connection, communication, conversation, collaboration, and caring for yourself and others - might be all that we can manage and that is okay. We often think about success as outcomes and level and intensity of effort. Maybe, right now, it is quality over quantity and just being present and in a moment - just showing up, should count for a lot. If you showed up for a friend, colleague, a family member, or yourself today - you had a success. Success does look different right now and just showing up counts for a lot.