I've heard that Change Is Good.

I've heard that Change Is Good so I'm re-purposing my blog and I guess, because it's mine, I can do what I want. Yay!  

Did you have a good weekend? I did!  I refuse to look at work after 5pm on Friday (more like 3pm if I can, or even 11am if we’re being real 😊).  Friday night I joined a Zoom Bingo night with my Oregon friends and families.  Saturday I rested and reluctantly went to the store, messaging my friend and calling my husband to help me feel ok about doing this.  I also spent an exorbitant amount of time washing down everything I bought, was this necessary?  I have no idea but I did it anyway.  And Sunday I spent more online time with a bunch of friends, all day long!  My last chat was with my husband who is staying at my moms in hopes to prevent spreading germs to us that he’s probably getting while at the fire house.

Things have changed.  It’s crazy and it’s happening to everyone.  It’s almost unfathomable to see that this “virus thing” is impacting the way of life for everyone in the world.  I don’t like giving cancer a capital C because I don’t want cancer to think it deserves one.  And I have a hard time calling this “virus thing” by name because that gives it more power. This tactic might seem silly but hey, you do what you have to do!  My mom has only left the house to drive around the block since this started.  I have cooked every day except for Friday night when I picked up Mexican.  Ole!  It’d been over 2 weeks since I had Mexican food prepared by a restaurant. You know, it’s just better when someone else cooks for you.  I find myself, less and less, ready to respond to someone with “I’ll be right over” or “come pick me up!” because we just can’t do that.  I’ve seen Bobby, in person, for about 10 minutes since he left for the fire house on Saturday 3/14 when I gave him the last hug until this thing is over.  When I spoke to him on Saturday he told me he was off work (yes, OFF) for only 24 hours over the past week.  We missed out on my favorite parade, The Irish Channel Parade.  And we’ll be missing out on a bunch of festivals over the next month. 

However, through all of this, I’ve seen positive things happen to me, personally.  I’ve spent more time with my Oregon friends than I have since I moved to New Orleans.  I’ve spent more time with my mom and son since we’re all home, all the time.  I’ve “gone to church” the past 3 Sundays, which I hadn’t done in a while (bad Kristyn!).  I’ve spent more time with local friends because I have more time to spend with them.  I continue to do my gratitude journal and while I have to search a little harder for things, I still find 5 things to be grateful for every single day.  We’ve spent way less money, I don’t know how much but I know a few things –

1.  I’ve had Starbucks twice in 2 ½  weeks instead of my normal  3-4 times per week. 

2.  We only picked up food once in 2 ½ weeks instead of the normal 2-3 times per week. 

3.  I still have a full tank of gas

4.  I haven’t bought lunch at all

I’ve also seen and heard some pretty amazing things from the world.  Scientists and the medical community are working together to find the cause and create the cure.  People from around the world are supporting each other in love and with prayer.   I’ve heard about less pollution and water becoming more clear.  I’m sure there are others that I can’t think of or don’t know about.

This virus thing is an imposition, to say the least, and I hope and pray that it ends soon.  I’m scared but I’m working to control how I respond to that feeling because I can’t control what the virus is doing.  I can only control how I respond.  I’m taking things one day at a time because I don’t know what changes will come about from one day to the next.  There’s an answer, somewhere, and I know it’ll be found. 

What can you do?  Practice Gratitude!  Find 5 things a day that you’re grateful for and write them down.  Move your body!  Drink lots of water.  Connect!  There are a lot of ways – Face time, google hangouts, you can use Zoom for free for up to 40 minutes, the telephone (say what?!) and I’m sure there are a bunch more ways.  Join a challenge group – I just completed a burpee/push up/squat/jumping jack challenge; today I’m starting the Next 90 Day challenge that is FREE to everyone https://thehollisco.com/pages/next90 and a squat/plank challenge.  Oh yah!  And I’m listening to music!  What are you doing?

But you know, I'm real so here's this: