“TRAPPED”

PACK A “BACKPACK” and run like hell…the “DARK HOLE” could get deep!!!

Stress, fear, anxiety, cabin fever goes after all of us as we get “locked down” in our own homes. We are told not to leave. You pull the shades, crank up the TV, get depressed, stressed and realize we all are handling life on our own, or YOU JUST RUN!!!

This past year I have had my own set of challenges, stress, scared where the next dollar will come to help with costs. NOW, I have COVID-19 to deal with. It is frightening. Will I get it, will I survive, how sick will I be. I had to give up my part time job to stay home. I talk to my friends and family, only to realize that each know of or know those who have to work from home, home-school their kids, wonder if they have enough toilet paper, and the list goes on.

I am afraid, just as you may be…I keep going. I got lost. I was standing at the edge of that “DARK HOLE”. I stocked up on food, filled my car with gas, had my “BACKPACK” ready!! I was going to another state where it was safe!! Funny thing, the COVID-19 map got bigger and bigger, my options fell into the “DARK HOLE”. My toes were hanging over the edge, I kept my balance, I stepped back. At this moment I realized I was amazingly resilient and cycling back up to reality.

How was that possible. how did it happen? My body took over, managed it and I let my body move me through the fear and stress. The initial danger is over, I am not dead, I do not have COVID-19. I reduced a great % of risk by staying home…that ancient TIGER is not chasing me, like it did a THOUSANDS of years ago against first mankind. I ran to safety, I hung onto my life by moving forward and avoided the TRAP of spiraling downward.

It was easy for me to get stuck in the stress cycle…today, in our world, stress hangs out in our lives, it does not go away like the tiger (of old) did. Stress is not good and we can not always keep it from happening. I can help my outdated stress response system see an END to the stress cycle. I showed myself that I am safe in this moment. I am breathing ok. I am here. I have internet access. I am writing this blog. The sun was shining today. The birds were chirping. I talked on the phone with my kids. i walked down to my neighbors and visited. I cleaned and waxed my car over the last two days. I got my bike ready to ride.

In the early mornings with my coffee I sit in prayer with the good Lord and talk to Him. Such a peace and joy I have in that. I also have movement in that, my Kettle-bell work outs and routines keep me physically active and strong. Through this my body gets rid of my stress and I get to stay in some kind of shape, which is part of my overall BADASS Health!!

I slip and slide, go back and forth. I know it is not about the exercise, it is about what I need. I need to get off my phone, get away from the TV, close the computer and get off my ass. I feel like I am doing something again, being human!! I am taking care of me, moving from a recliner to getting things done, I even wash dishes BY HAND!!

RIGHT NOW…you are still reading this. This means you are safe and OK in the present moment. Stress is still out there, but this made you think, as it did me. I move through my stress cycles by “doing” I shake it off. I am safe now in the present moment also. I will keep it going…I can!!!

Thought for the day: TRAPPED!!! FIGHT through it.

Later: John