This Isn’t About Pilates or Fitness

I can’t avoid it! This post isn’t about Pilates or fitness; it is about how we are all dealing with pandemic exhaustion. No matter how hard we all are trying, managing the restrictions, the unknown, and the stress is just EXHAUSTING. And sometimes, we just need to let it all out.

How My Family is Doing

As a family, we limited our contacts and gatherings (when we could gather for that lovely brief time!). I kept my distance in the studio and when at the gym or running, to give everyone at least six feet of space. It has been hard, but we are trying our best. 

My husband is SUPER social and this is really hard on him. I’ll catch him planning coffee dates with old highschool friends and have to halt his plans. He even joined my trail running group in hopes of enjoying it! Update: He doesn’t. I am grateful though that he does enjoy golf, however – and he is taking every opportunity to go. He gets out in the fresh air, is moving his body, and it just makes him feel normal again for a few hours – something we are all longing for. 

On the other hand, my youngest daughter in grade 12 is getting the most social interaction out of all of us. With just two classes each quarter, she is doing well in her learning and does still get to go to school occasionally. But if you thought it was tough for the 2020 graduates, the 2021 grads are starting the year in pandemic mode: no sports, no dances, limited time at school, and not knowing if they will get a formal graduation. It is quite the emotional rollercoaster! 

Our oldest two daughters are doing university courses at home almost all day everyday. They joke that they are going crazy, but there is seriousness in it, too. They are missing out on peer support, making new friends, and spreading their wings at school. But when I look for the bright side, I am happy they have each other. And my least “crafty” daughter has taken to baking and crafting. So that’s been fun! 

We did have a scare with one of my daughters being exposed to a coworker who had been exposed to COVID-19. She was afraid to come home and potentially expose the rest of us, couldn’t return to work until her co-worker tested negative, and she needed to go to school for a mandatory lab. The stress had her in tears, but the negative test results came back quickly. It was such a flood of relief for us all. 

How to Manage the Pandemic Exhaustion

In talking with others, it is clear that we are all feeling the exhaustion of this. Even those who didn’t feel much stress in the first wave are feeling it now. We are all DONE! One day I can feel good, and then the next I am drained. Yet, as I’ve been saying all along, we can find silver linings if we look. And there are blessings that have come from this. 

• Gratitude. I have made it a habit to list five things each day that I am grateful for. It helps on those down-days. Try first thing in the morning, or right before bed. You can write in a journal, make a note in your phone, or even do it as a family at the dinner table. 
• Say Thanks. Take a minute to give thanks to someone today! You can thank a family member for something they did around the house, a shop for the service they gave you, or even write to an author of a book you love! We all desire to be appreciated, and it just feels good to make someone feel good!
• Take Care of You. Drink your water. Eat wholesome food. Get your sleep. These three things have a huge impact on how we feel! 
• Keep Moving. I said this wasn’t going to be about Pilates or fitness. But how can I not? Running, hiking, biking, or a walk always help to clear my mind. And I know that Pilates and strength training help me feel better in my body. So try and take time every day to move! 

Keeping our distance while going the distance of the pandemic is tiring. Yet I am finding small ways to keep going, keep moving, and keep in together! Though we are far apart, the community I am finding in all of this has been a blessing. Thank you for being part of my “tribe.”