This week while talking to a Mom I know, anxiety came up. Her anxiety was specifically related to the world’s current situation right now.
This isn’t surprising, we are in the middle of a global pandemic. There is naturally some fear of the unknown for many of us.
She shared that she had watched a CNN news clip earlier that morning and couldn’t shake the anxiety she was feeling for her young children who she felt would be directly impacted from this pandemic.
We are all being impacted right now in one way or another, but what will the impact be on the rising generation? All the kids who are home from school right now, missing field trips and special lunch and missing the daily interactions with their friends at recess.
What will the impact be on her small children in the years to come as they grow and become adults? What will they be faced with?
All of these questions were swirling in her brain, all of these thoughts creating an uneasiness, and a heightened sense of responsibility to be able to take care of her kids and protect them amid all of the things that are so out of her control.
If you are a Mom you can probably relate. We have a deep desire to protect and care for our kids. We want to see our kids happy and healthy and If they aren’t, we can step into worry or even guilt at lightning speed.
While I can’t magically see into the future and know what it holds for us or our kids, there is one thing that creates instant relief for me and helps me to keep a really clear perspective.
It’s the belief that anything that is happening in my life is happening FOR me.
Having to isolate from others is happening for me so that I can practice constraint.
Having my kid’s home 24/7 is happening for me so that I have more time with them while they are still young enough to want to be with me.
Having our family holiday cancelled is happening for me so that I can realize how much I took travelling, and seeing the world for granted.
There are equal opportunities for our kids to learn from the hard stuff they are facing now and will face in the future.
During the hard moments thinking about what we can learn is often the farthest thing from our minds. It’s much easier to blame or complain
This is especially true for my kids…..Can I hear an amen!!
If you are feeling some anxiety or worry right now, remind yourself that you can lead the way.
You can show your kids how they can choose to think about their hard stuff by the way that you show up for yours.
This is one of the greatest incentives in looking for the reasons why your hard stuff is happening FOR YOU.
The more you practice looking for those reasons the easier it will be to recognize them.
Then more you recognize them, the more your attitude will shift in a positive way and the greater example you will be.
