Intentionality During a Time of Stress

The idea of reframing this time to be more intentional about life has definitely been a saving grace for us. While a lot of the meme accounts out there are making jokes (which is completely welcome and necessary for coping), we’ve seen some great posts about coming out of this better as a whole population. That is something worthy to focus on, if possible. I think keeping our eyes facing forward, and controlling what we can control will be vital in the coming weeks.

Different people need different things to cope during this time. Some people thrive on a lot of structure. Others can be a bit more relaxed about it. Pay attention to how you’re feeling, and make tweaks as you need to! Caitlin was telling me the other day she wasn’t feeling great, because she hadn’t gotten ready for the day, but felt like it was pointless until after she worked out (which wasn’t until 4:30 in the afternoon). So today, she changed into her workout clothes and swiped on some mascara, and already feels better. It doesn’t have to be crazy, like wearing jeans or a full face of makeup, but if that’s what makes you feel good, then don’t feel bad about that either! That’s the beauty of this time. No one HAS to see you, so it’s a no judgement zone.

I was getting down on myself daily about feeling/looking like a slob. It took an AHA moment of A. that I shouldn’t be talking to myself/treating myself that way, and B. I am in control of my own choices. This means maybe washing my hair a little bit more often than 1.5 times a week, or even just choosing to use that dry shampoo even if no one else can see my greasy hair. This is the time to figure out how to take care of yourself as best you can.

It can be easy to try to avoid your feelings by zoning out with Netflix or whatever your streaming service du jour may be. While that can be healthy to “relax and unwind,” it also serves to suck up hours of your day or avoid dealing with facing certain issues. If you have the bandwidth, you can spend some time journaling or reading. Pick up your bible, or grab that self help book you’ve been putting off reading.

If you feel out of control about your eating, take some time to plot out your meal plan for the week. Usually I’m bemoaning my lack of time for cooking. I’ve taken advantage these last couple of weeks and made some fun and delicious recipes. Plus if you plot out a meal plan, it should help you get in and out of the grocery store as quickly as possible, or have a game plan for ordering online.

I’ve talked to friends who have scheduled time in their calendar to do certain chores, or to get outside at a specific time. Maybe you need to block off time to make things happen. You could also prefer to have an idea of what needs to get done and just let the day unfold. Look at this as a time to experiment with how your life works best!

We have the unique opportunity right now to sit at home to keep others safe. It might feel trite or melodramatic, but we all can help reframe our mindsets on this. If you’re home alone, set up daily check-ins with friends/family. Even if you’re not home alone, check in with your friends and family if you haven’t already. We’ve got the time, and once it’s gone we can’t get it back, so we might as well take advantage.

It feels a little strange still to be sharing clothing, while most of us aren’t feeling like it’s worth shopping right now. We want to be as respectful as possible to all of you. People have encouraged us to continue to post during this time, and to be frank, it gives us a wonderful creative outlet to continue to pour into as well. We’ll all have to go back to work eventually, and if you are on the hunt for work pants or a great tall bodysuit then check out these options. Another positive out of this, is a lot of retailers are continuing to share some incredible deals if you’re choosing to shop.

We want to reiterate that we had all of these pictures stock piled so we aren’t traipsing around the public to get the shots. You have seen this one shoulder bodysuit in the past and it is still proving to be a staple in Caitlin’s closet. She snagged these oxblood work trousers in her recent work pants haul (ironic timing now that we’re working from home). I loved that she went with a more trendy trouser look than a typical work look here. These Amazon heels keep proving to be the most worn heels in her closet.