Guess what!? There is an element of new to all of us. It might not be remote learning school for you, maybe it’s a new medical diagnosis, a relationship that has come to an end, or new feelings of anxiety. This is where you get to fill in the blank you get to put here what has been the epicenter of the chaos in your world.  

I want to share with you 3 ways in which I have found joy in our chaos:

1. Relying on God. There is a song with lyrics that say “I never would have made it with You.“ It’s so true! My faith has grown so much stronger during the hard times but knowing that His love is never failing is the biggest take away that brings me comfort. God won’t give you more than you can handle. Sometimes it felt hard to believe that but it has always proven to be true. I want you to do something. When you are having a day that just seems like its the day of “too much“ I want you to go outside and find a wild animal or a bug. Look at it and watch it. Think about their struggle. Think about all of the worms they have to find to eat and just think God has equipped them with everything they need to survive. They don’t have to worry. We don’t either!  You are equipped with what you need to make it through your current struggle. We have so many resources to be able to continue to grow, learn, and adapt. If you were that bird, remember there are more than enough proverbial worms for you to not only survive but thrive. Remember how many worms come out after a rainstorm!? The night might be long but the morning is going to be your moment to flourish!
2. Letting go of expectations or specific outcomes! This was and is still sometimes a hard one for me. We want things to turn out a certain way. But there is so much power in letting go of our expectations. Think about the faith that takes! To know that all things will work out for your good is so freeing! Think back on some of the expectations that you had as a teenager. Maybe it was a relationship that you thought you wanted to be in “for the rest of your life” or a career path that you thought would be “a dream come true”. Have you ever sat back and thought about how grateful you are that those expectations DIDN’T go the way you planned?! I know I have! I’ve done the same thing with my approach to our new school year.  Letting go of expectations of perfection.  Knowing that this year is going to be different and embracing different.  24 hours before school started I still didn’t know what the plan was for the next day, yet as I went to pick up our supplies I had so much peace in knowing that I wasn’t going to let unknown expectations ruin my peace.  It was one of the most freeing moments in quarantine!
3. Change your mindset. There is so much power in positivity! When you change the way that you talk to yourself and think, you will change the language you use about those around you and it may even change the way that they talk to. This is especially true around our children. When we change our mind we change our mood. The next time you are feeling down or a little negative take a positivity break. Stop and think of 3 things that you can be thankful for. The more you think of these things the more you will see things through a positive lense. Remember that life is happening for you, not to you.