Dear Parents,
Last night, I meditated for the first time in months. After spending a sleepless night the night prior, I found my mind racing, and I was unable to shut it off. So after my son went to sleep, off I went by myself, into the privacy of my room, where I picked out a meditation on the app for dealing with anxiety and moving into sleep. Lo and behold, last night was the first night I slept soundly since the start of our “safer at home.” Personally, I am extremely proud that I accomplished something other than work, homeschooling, meal prep, the constant cycle of running and emptying the dishwasher and the never-ending pile of laundry! It helped me to realize that what I do for myself during this time can be so tiny, yet it can have such a huge impact, and not even just for myself. I’m hoping you are able to carve out moments to just “be” in your space, on your own, to replenish—whether that is to exercise, to cry, to laugh about anything, to meditate, for even just 5 minutes. That act of acknowledgement that your needs matter, that you matter, is so very important, I might argue even more than whatever the activity is, and I would say vital, to getting through this piece of parenting and our reality with your soul intact. I wish you all a wonderful day, and hopefully you are able to find, even a brief window, to take care of you!
Warmly,
Jen