You Doing Ok?

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in. How are you doing? You doing ok? This time last year I was getting over a horrible sinus infection and was scared to death I had Covid. It’s funny going back and reading older Simply Stine posts from last year. In all honesty, they don’t look too drastically different. I can now see my friends and family for the most part, but we still aren’t doing a lot of traveling and I’m still wearing a mask. Also, I still have extra toilet paper and paper towels JUST INCASE. HA.

To be honest, I’m not really sure how I feel anymore. This year and last year have been A LOT to say the least. I no longer watch the news because of the pandemic. I hate big crowds even more so than I did before (and that was already a lot) and anxiety is a given nowadays. Yes, I’ve talked to a doctor about all of this and I take medication, BUT I think it’s ok to admit that the past couple of years have changed us all. It’s for sure changed me.

I realized some things during lockdown: I LOVED not having to socialize and be around people that made me uncomfortable. I loved not having to commit to plans every single weekend. I loved being able to stay at home and just have some down time. I did NOT love searching for food, toilet paper, and having to cook every single damn meal, BUT I survived.

I know I have privilege. I’m vaccinated, I still have a home, bills are paid, there’s food on the table, and my family members are all ok. We aren’t struggling over here, but I can say with 100% certainty that this has all changed our lives. Its changed our priorities and the way we handle life. It’s changed my work and has caused a lot of ups and downs in so many of our work lives.

Maybe life looks a lot different for you now? If it does, what’s changed?? For me this is something I’m still processing. I’ve realized that it’s ok to slow down. There’s nothing wrong with being lazy and just doing nothing. You don’t get a prize if you finish your to-do list or you don’t. Your social calendar doesn’t have to be full of things that you hate doing. As a matter of fact, your life should be things that make you happy and bring you joy. (Think about what brings you happiness and joy…..)

I’ve also realized that life before the pandemic was so different for me workwise. Simply Stine has been my full-time job for years now, which I’m so thankful for. It’s allowed me to be in charge of my own schedule and have a lot of freedom in my life. HOWEVER, it’s a bit different now. I won’t go into all of the details, but I for sure have moments where I’m just the least creative and I turn down more and more work. Or there are months were the work is so, so slow. I’ve struggled with what content to talk about a lot more than I ever used to.

If you’re wondering if you’re the only one trying to still make sense of all of this: YOU AREN’T ALONE! Life is just different. Priorities are different and I bet a lot of you reading this feel the exact same way. We all just handle things differently……

Some of us bake bread.

Some of us read a lot more than we used to.

Some people have found exercise to be helpful (my husband) while others have just stopped exercising and are just trying to get back into it (me.)

Some people find social media helpful. (Tik Tok really helped me laugh! It also helped me become more into reading, which I didn’t know was possible)

If you need to delete social media and take a break-do it! I’ve hit unfollow on a lot of people.

If you’re working on finding your creativity again, I’m right there with you.

If you need to clean and organize your house…DO IT!

If you refuse to wear an underwire bra ever again-I’m right there with you!

If you struggle to zip your jeans and have gained a few extra pounds, that’s ok. Don’t beat yourself up.

Life is just different…..

So tell me, how are you doing?