Feeling Grounded When Life is Swirling

I’m writing this while sitting in a bookstore in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Even though we are isolated in this little mountain town, it’s Spring Break and tourists are everywhere. My boys are skiing while I shop, write, and wander the streets of one of my favorite places. And I just learned from a local that there have been two people diagnosed with CoVID-19 today here in Ski Town, U.S.A. Sigh. Not even a remote ski town is immune.

Man, it’s been a weird 48 hours. We’ve watched lives put on hold from major athletic events canceled and universities switched to online learning. Tournaments have even canceled months in advance and air travel has ground to a halt. I’m sad for all the people affected by these drastic changes from the collegiate athletes to the hourly wage workers in the affected industries that live from paycheck to paycheck. I know that this is necessary to keep this from escalating but it still feels surreal.

I didn’t want to say it out loud to my kids but the whole trip has just felt eerie. We are a huge sports family and all the cancellations weighed heavy on our hearts.

My daughter has been working at her college’s radio station, helping broadcast basketball and baseball games as well as doing short recaps each week on team performances. She’s been loving all the experiences she’s gained in just a few short weeks but that all came to a quick end this week. She was looking forward to helping with the College World Series as well which at this point won’t be happening. She plays soccer for her school and as of right now, they are on hold until the end of March. Her school is transitioning to online classes for the rest of the semester. College as she knows it is over for the year.

My sons play baseball and who knows what will or won’t happen in a week or so when the date return to school gets nearer. My older son is set to travel for six weeks this summer, hoping to find a baseball scholarship so he can continue to play the sport her loves. We hope that he gets the opportunity to still do that. Also, NCAA is talking about extending another year of eligibility for the current seniors whose college careers came to a sudden end and we have no idea how that will impact the upcoming recruiting process.

I’m sad for all the kids and coaches who’ve worked so hard to play at this level. I’m sad about the lost seasons, the lost opportunities, the lost celebrations, the lost life lessons, the lost “lasts” for so many. I’m sad about the lives that have been lost. I’m sad that people are panicking and hoarding food and living supplies. I’m sad that we weren’t better prepared.

Because of this current pandemic, we are in an unknown period of isolation and cut off from regular activities. I can’t believe these are our lives right now and hope this isn’t just the tip of the iceberg. I also hope that people will return to their senses and make choices that are good for all. I have some idea what the grocery store situation is at home but maybe it will work out that all is restocked and the calm has settled back in by the time we get home.

This will be talked about in the history books someday and our kids will be telling their kids about where they were when the NCAA shut down all sports. I think why it’s eerie to me is that we have nothing in our lifetime besides 9/11 that has preceded this sort of reaction. There is nothing to ground us to a knowing that all will be okay. This has left me feeling like a kite string that has been cut or a balloon that has been let go. And I’m supposed to be the glue that holds my family together.

So, what to do? One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that rituals are key to keeping my feet firmly on the ground.

Rituals for me mean getting up at the same time every day, reading a personal development book first thing in the morning then journaling, working out, taking my supplements, connecting with at least one friend a day, and a nighttime ritual before bed. If the rest of my day goes to shit, then at least I’ve done the things that bring me joy and support my physical and mental health. Being that I’m on vacation right now has thrown a few rituals to the side so maybe that’s why I’m feeling so unsettled. This has taught me these rituals and other grounding activities need to be done daily because this pandemic has proven their worth.

I hope you find some things to do some grounding to your life during this turbulent time. It’s been such a valuable tool for me and this past week has proven why. Let me know what rituals you are doing that are keeping you grounded right now.