This morning I finished the 7th chapter of my upcoming self-help memoir, Thinking Outside the Chrysalis: A Black Woman’s Guide to Spreading Her Wings, and sent it off for it’s first round of edits. I made myself a delicious sea moss drink like I used to have as a kid in Brooklyn. I recently learned how to make it at home, so I’ve been having fun with that. I sat down at my kitchen table/office to write today’s blog, and I felt like I was dying inside. My eyes were glazed over. I had no energy. My mind felt foggy and empty. For a brief moment I considered getting back in my bed. I had already showered which normally rejuvenates me, but I realized I had to get out of the house. Except for walking my very sweet puppy, I’ve been home the past two days.
I’ve been writing a lot, which for me is like a little slice of heaven, but I also really, really like going out. I pause before calling myself an extrovert because I also really, really like my alone time. I went to make myself a green tea latte (my delicious addiction) and realized I let my milk frother dry out. (I leave water in it to make it easy to clean for the next use.) OK universe, I see you. I grabbed my keys for a Starbucks run, and here I am - sitting on a park lawn writing today’s blog, feeling absolutely amazing.
I once read that people are just plants with complicated emotions – we need fresh water, sunlight and clean air. Asking people who live in small apartments not to come outside during this pandemic is really a different type of death sentence. I might long for nature more than other folks, but we are all hard-wired to spend time outdoors. So much so, that the inclination to spend too much time indoors is deemed agoraphobia – a mental disorder.
If you are struggling with stay-at-home orders during this unusual situation we find ourselves in, know you’re not alone. If you’ve put on a few pounds, you have great company. If you’re having moments of sadness, emptiness or confusion, lean into the reality that we’re all in this mess together. I have moments when I think I’ve got this thing figured out – my new normal, then one too many news articles or video clips has me sliding through a murky tunnel.
Forgive yourself. Take naps. Read books. Binge watch TV. Learn new recipes. Write in your journal.
And when you have a chance to stick your head out the window, drink up the sun on your patio, or take a stroll in your neighborhood, just remember, you’re just a plant with complicated emotions. You need that shit. We all do.
I wish you Freedom, Alignment and Effortless Abundance!
Trish
P.S. This pic is my happy place – putting words to page while out in nature. I didn’t do this sooner because I thought I’d have too much glare on my PC, but I’m under a tree and it’s perfect. If you want to keep up to date on my book launch, sign up at honeybutterflyz.com/contact.
