New Normal Steps to Help Get Through

Stella: [00:00:00] Well, hey everybody, it’s Stella Beard with Kentucky SPIN. I wanted to talk to you today about your new normal. Is this going to be your new normal? Let me take just a few minutes and talk to you about a lot of things that are changing right now. We all know that we’ve been in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic and we’ve had a lot of changes in our life. And a lot of people right now are understanding that they’re going to have to be wearing masks out in public.

Some businesses won’t even let you in the store unless you have a mask on. So I want to talk to you just getting through some of these hard times right now. And things that have helped me get through this time of change. And I want to kind of give you my top five go-to get me throughs. So my first one is if, when I’m struggling with motivation, what I do is I, daily, make a plan.

Every day I make a plan and I write it down. [00:01:00] And then as things happen throughout the day, I check it off, when I get it done. I like to visually see that I’m making progress on some of my goals and to-do lists for the day. Number two. When I’m dealing with disappointment, one of the things I’ve heard a long time ago, I cannot remember who said it, but it says “sit in it but don’t bathe in it”.

So even though we are going through a lot of disappointments right now, we don’t want to stay there. Because grieve the loss, but don’t stay there. Get up, do something new. Time really does heal, and we’re not always going to be in this situation. So remember that. Number three stress. Oh my goodness.

Everybody’s stressed right now. So I encourage you, take breaks often and laugh at yourself. Half the time I’m looking for my cell phone and it’s up to my ear, or I’m holding it in my hand. So just begin to laugh at yourself. Number four, when you’re depressed, reach out to someone in need and go help them [00:02:00] and go through your camera roll pics because I promise you, when you start looking back at past memories, you will laugh at yourself.

And you’ll have some fond memories that will get you through that little bout of depression that you’re feeling right now. And the fifth one is if you’re feeling isolated and lonely. Do something silly with your kids. I’ve been doing Tictok videos with mine and they laugh at me and they think it’s hysterical.

So I’m learning to laugh at myself, but that helps me get through the isolation and feeling lonely. And remember, you know, we’re all going through things right now, but don’t judge someone when you see them out and maybe they don’t have that mask on, don’t judge them because you don’t know what they’re going through.

So if this is going to be your new normal. Remember, it might not be someone else’s. Thanks a lot. We’re going to get through this together. Have a great day.