Oh hello there!

Here we are, looking at one year of shut down. Do your days blend together? Do you know what day of the week it is?

Here’s something Josh Sanderson once taught me when I was concerned that I would fill my summer up with work because nothing else was happening in my life:

Imagine a great summer. What would it entail? Who would be there? Where would it be? How would it feel?

I remember this because it’s the first time I stopped and checked myself on my passive thoughts. Wait, I have control of my life? I can imagine what I want and then make it happen? Wha?!

So I did what he said: I imagined a great summer. Barbecue, reading in a hammock, swimming in a fresh, cold lake, visiting my family and friends around Massachusetts and Maine, dipping my toes in the ocean, strawberry picking, evening walks, and outdoor music.

Laid out over 3 months, it turns out that I didn’t need much to make my summer feel full. And once I knew what I wanted, I could begin inquiring about plans and travel and start blocking off dates.

As I reflect on the one year anniversary of lock down, I think it’s time to try Josh’s exercise out again. The pandemic has taken away so much from many of us. Sometimes it’s easy to forget what we can control.

What does a great April look like for you? Maybe all of this downtime can be a catalyst to make small changes as the sunshine and warmth give us a little more wiggle room than winter allowed.