What have you done over Quarantine?

When we all finally get to go back to work and see our "work friends", I think it will be much like when we were in elementary school and came back from summer break.  We were so excited to tell everyone about the things we had done and the places we had been and we wanted to hear all about their adventures too!  The only difference here is that the only place we have been is home!

Sitting back and looking at the photos on my phone I realize that I have had a "summer vacation" of sorts.  My family has done so many things that we probably would not have had the time to do otherwise.  We have gone for walks, baked unicorn cookies, played all kinds of games (both video and board), gave the dog a (bad) haircut, painted rooms, learned to make face masks, and even tried to hydro dip my daughters Vans.

As much as this situation is testing my ability to stay sane, the extra time and adventures with my family are helping to ground me.  In the midst of a 5-Alarm anxiety attack, I have had to make a conscious effort to stop and remember that a blessing also comes from this tragedy. My life has slowed down and even though I am working and going to school, I now have that time that I was so desperately missing with my family.

I've said it before, but anxiety is hard and unpredictable. If you are able to step outside of it for just a second and grab on to something that will pull you back to the ground, you might be able to pull yourself out of a full-blown anxiety attack.  It's taken me a lot of years to figure out how to do this, and sometimes I just can't do it, but it is worth trying even if it works once in awhile.

Today I am grateful for my family, the extra time we have together right now and the memories we are creating.