Raise your hand if you’re hurting! Yeah, I’m feeling it too. This week hit hard and has left our house in a super funk. Miguel is questioning what we’re doing with our lives, Jackson misses his friends and I took not one but two naps on Wednesday. Seriously. I know I thought that if I could just make it through the holidays everything would be better on the other side. And I did survive the holidays! Not with out tears, some pretty uncomfortable post-traumatic stress and more than few naps, but I survived. WE survived and are continuing to survive.

But when does it get better? We were told it would be better in the new year, so we wrapped so much of our negativity up in the idea of 2020. We tried to throw an entire year out with the trash but when we woke up in the morning it was still sitting there at the end of our driveway. Then, I was personally hoping that maybe life would get a little more hopeful on January 20th, when we have a new president and administration. THAT will be my new year I decided. But it’s difficult to feel anything other than heavy anticipation about any news coming out of Washington DC these days.

We’re in a rut, treading tar and exhausted. There are no holidays, vacations or events to which we can look forward. The vaccine rollout is slower than expected and we’re collectively holding our breath to be sure our country survives the next month. The immense pressure in January to set goals, create resolutions and start fresh is not helping matters either. I don’t know about you but nothing about this new year feels fresh. Nope it feels as worn and tired as the sweatpants I’ve been living in for the last 10 months. 

Where do we go from here? Don’t look at me, I took two naps on Wednesday. Look, there’s no magic formula here because no one has ever been through something like this before. What I do know is that I am going to choose to drown out the New Year/New You talk and I’m going to temper my anticipation for life’s next new normal. Instead of looking for big change I’m taking it back to my special needs mom roots: the most basic lessons that got me through the toughest days with Adelaide:

1. Live life an inchstone at a time. When a week feels oppressive and a day feels overwhelming, it’s ok to take it all an inchstones. What needs to be done right now in this moment? Not this evening, not tomorrow, but right now. Whatever that may be, is the only thing that needs focus and attention.

2. Celebrate those inchstones! My gosh, when taking a shower feels like a victory then acknowledge it for the victory it is! Also, your family thanks you.

3. Focus energy on what can be controlled, and let go of what can’t. This one always feels like common sense but is so much more difficult to put into practice. I’m looking at you doom scroller.

Life right now is epically hard, I don’t know anyone who is feeling strong and well. If it helps, if it bring you any solace, know that you are not alone in feeling this way. This crazy time will come to an end though, that is certain. Not soon enough, but there are better days waiting for us around the corner. In the meantime, if you need me, I’ll probably be napping.