Owning our Power in Hard Times

Today in meditation the teacher (Jean from San Diego) gave a word of the day and that word was "Power". What a great word when we all are struggling to find our own power. 

Owning our power in hard times is tough when we may feel helpless and out of control. My job title is "Stress Management Specialist" in cardiac care. I have been a yoga teacher and yoga therapist for many years and also a veteran of  Alanon (a group to support family members of addiction). So I feel like I have a black belt in "trying" to own my power, not because I am expert but because I have to try every day. My OCD was epic when I found Alanon, then subsequent therapy for many years. My job is to share those tools with others and it really is the best job in the world, however, it can often feel like I have impostor syndrome because I don't always have it as together on the inside as much as people think. I may look cool as a cucumber on the outside but on the inside I may be thinking "I've got to get some exercise, call my kids, eat a healthy meal and meditate before I fall to pieces". So I use my tools. Today I want to share those tools with you and give some tips for moving forward because statistically this is some real crazy stuff and it's possible that you could get sick but it's also very likely that most of us will make it out of this, maybe a little bruised but we will make it out.

What I do daily to manage while isolating myself at home. 
It's not really a schedule so much as a list of things to accomplish. I ask myself this question "Is this getting me the goal I want to achieve?" If the answer is "No" then I make a list of what I want to achieve and get up and get on it. I may give myself breaks to scroll social media or watch a movie with my husband but after that I get back to my list.
This whole thing takes me approximately four to six hours of the day. And since I am home awake for 16 hours that gives a whole lot of lazy time.

For me that list looks like this.
1. Exercise at least 20 minutes (cardio, toning, walking, strength). Every other day I do 20 minutes of cardio toning and on the opposite days I do the treadmill for 20 minutes. When I was working some days it was 7 minutes on one day and the next day 15 on treadmill. Do what you can but don't just sit there.
2. I do yoga for at least 10 minutes a day. I do not see yoga postures as exercise. This means doing yoga postures to find flexibility in my body and to help release energy that may be stuck in my body. Think of it as stress sitting in your upper back.
3. I meditate for at least five minutes or more. This keeps me sane, tones my nervous system and makes me feel at peace.
4. I say the Serenity Prayer.  It reminds to let go of what is out of my control. Do what I can that is within my control and please Lord give me the wisdom to know what is best.
5. I cook and eat healthy meals. They don't have to be complicated. My diet is strict but you don't have to be as strict as me to achieve improvement. Eat more veggies and fruits, avoid added sugar and white flour to reduce inflammation (viruses love inflammation). If you want to see what I cook and eat you might follow me on Instagram cdb120.
6. I clean and deep clean. Everyday I make the bed, wash the dishes, wipe down the kitchen, door knobs, light switches, and bathroom toilet flusher and faucets. I do a load of clothes if needed and run the vacuum (Roomba). *Right now I focus on one area that needs deep cleaning, it may be a drawer or a whole room. Depends on my energy how much I do but I do something. This could go on for a while so I try not to over extend myself.
7. I do some kind of office work that supports our business and take a look at our finances. This may mean paying bills, looking over the budget to see what can be cut, handling some aspect of the business. This is the time to update files and clean them out. I'm doing some social media post or making some videos that support my book, these are free but they help those who use my book for training. It is one way I can also give back to those who we serve.
8. I schedule downtime with my husband to watch t.v. or a movie. This is important. We have a date to meet at 8p.m. to watch a movie every night. I look forward to it and it is a nice ritual.
9. Call or text family members and friends daily.
10. Try to read something for twenty minutes. My eyes are failing me so reading can be hard in small font but I am trying to read at night & not stare at my phone.

Other decisions (perspective) that empower me now and moving forward. 

1. Every financial decision is thought through. Do I need to go to the store? How much Wifi data do we need or phone data? Can I make something myself or use something else, such as homemade cleaners or using rags instead of paper towels. How can we eat up the food we have now so we can limit our time in the stores. 
2. Now is a good time while you have time to learn about doing things cheaper, more frugal, start a garden on the cheap. I have started sprouting lentils inside for salads, it's pennies and buying a tiny bit at the store is  $4. Think about everything you do and how you can save money on it from conserving energy, gas, to wear and tear on your car. It's a great time to save money and learn a new skill. 
3. Save. And try to avoid getting into financial reserves unless you have to. We have an emergency fund. I am laid off. I know we can make it about three months without getting into the emergency fund because I also keep a balance in our checking accounts. Your life may be different but some concept of this can apply. *My Depression Era grandparents taught me well.  We keep a minimum balance on all work accounts (we have three small businesses). Those balances have sustained us in hard times. Right now spend less, save more, and try not to buy anything you don't need. SAVE your money. When you go back to work start now to live a life that supports being debt free, saving three months to a years worth of emergencies and living well below your means. 
4. If you get a large chunk of money (tax return) or a relief check from the government (this is a possibility) then pay your bills ahead, stock up on what you need (not hoard) so you can stay home and then save the rest. This is not the time to book those vacations even though they may be cheap. NEEDS OVER WANTS.
5. Learn from this. Learn what is really important. Having the newest technology on a payment plan doesn't make sense if all your income dries up. Live something similar to this ongoing and budget for big expenses after you have your savings. 

The peace of mind this will bring you outweighs anything fancy you can own. 

Changes we are making: 

This has solidified my desire to homestead with garden, chickens and fruit trees. I want to learn to can, ferment, and grow inside sprouts. 

We will be paying the house off aggressively and stock piling an even larger emergency fund.
I'll do better at keeping the house stocked for a rainy day. Meaning from now on I'll have more supplies on hand for a month. That is not something I did before. 

I will invest in the market but for now until the house is paid off and the emergency fund is built up. I will only put into our IRA's and let those grow (max them out).
Not that I took work for granted but I was very focused on early retirement. For the next six years I will work hard and appreciate the larger paychecks but I will be working on the goal to retire to part time at 55. This will allow me to have a better balance. This is like a mini retirement to some extent with a little to much stress. I want freedom even more now, freedom to know I can get by without a check. However I am so grateful to have an amazing job and employer and I miss my job and the people we serve. 

Much Love,

Courtney