We are all in a season. Most of the people in my life are in a hard season. COVID-19 has brought heartache and devastation to so many world wide. On a smaller scale, I have had loved ones miss prom, graduation and push back their weddings. Friends have lost their jobs, struggled financially, and have been overtaken with crippling fear.
I have personally learned a lot of lessons through this season. The biggest lesson is that I am still loved even when I am just simply alive.
This season has shown me what I never thought life would ever come to. Just simply being home, in your place with your person. Just waking up with the sole purpose to breath and stay alive. To pause all the trips, events and celebrations. To change what work looks like and keep me glued to my desk chair.
The natural leader, challenger and over-doer that is my soul has always equated deserving love with accomplishment. The more I accomplish the more I was deserving of love. I know! This is horrible and wrong but I have never had to challenge the thinking. I lived a life where I was able to feed this feeling and not have to face it.
COVID made me face it. I faced it hard. I had to wake up during April & May and remind myself that the people who love me will still love me even when I am not accomplishing. I had to tell myself that I am who I am no matter if I am working or performing. I had to write it into my being that I am enough.
Something in my gut tells me that I am not the only one who needs to be reminded that you are still loved. That you are still loved even if the world goes crazy. You are still loved if your work looks different. You are still loved if you are not able to perform at the same level due to COVID. You are still loved even if your pants fit a little too tight. You are still loved even if you did not come out of quarantine with a new hobby or side gig. You are still loved even if you are barely making it by. You are still loved because you are YOU!
The world is so hard as it is, the last thing we need to do is put more pressure on ourselves because we connect our ability to be loved through our performances. Join me in reminding yourself daily that God loves us the exact same no matter how different our year looks. That He designed us to be who we are whether we are thriving in our career or barely hanging on. You are still loved even if…..
All the love,
Your friend Colleen Howard
Well said!