Positivity

Breathe in, Breathe out.

With the recent tragedies surrounding the destruction by Hurricane Harvey on August 24, 2017, Texans are trying to settle in on their "new normal". This certainly was not our first flood. Ha! This IS Texas, after all. It is the widest spread with the most water and affected life that Texas has seen in our lifetime. The destruction that occurred in the path of Harvey leaves one almost frozen in disbelief. There is not time to sit and take it all in, because the mold is growing at an accelerated pace; and it's growing everywhere that got wet! The clean up began, before the storm ended!

It is hard to believe that three weeks have already passed. It feels like we are all a bit frozen in time. Certain aspects of life are returning to normal. Schools have finally started. Grocery stores are almost fully stocked. (People are still buying water like crazy!) Gas stations are open and pumping fuel. Employers are expecting people back to work. Then, there are the closed roads, and traffic light outages that are still causing lengthy commuter delays. The piles of rubbish remain on the lawns of destroyed homes. Displaced families are searching for necessities and a roof over their heads. Pets are separated from families. FEMA is visible to some, and invisible to others. Social media is keeping it all alive.

It is healthy and necessary to deal with this mental, and physical, stress and fatigue. Even while there are thousands of people to immediately help, your contributions are best when you are rested. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. Perhaps you cannot allow yourself your traditional 60-minute work out. Gift yourself a 10-20 minute HIIT workout. Gift yourself a 5-15 minute moving meditation with a brisk walk, or yoga snippet from YouTube. Gift yourself 10 wakeful minutes with a cup of coffee or tea, while you acknowledge what you are grateful for. The mental wellness that comes from oxygenating your brain should not be pushed aside. The physical wellness that your muscles gain from increased circulation will carry your body further. Keep your body and mind fed with positivity. Share your strengths with everyone. Take a moment to gather what YOU need, then keep giving.