Yep, it’s another coronavirus episode. There are so many events, stats, feelings to process. And that’s what I do here on this podcast. I process and I try to find hope through it all.

So, the first two weeks of “shelter in place” I was actually feeling super good. Then last week things started to feel not so good. I’ve felt a range of emotions from sad, to irritable, to frustrated, then sometimes to content, happy, grateful. It’s A LOT to process in a short amount of time, and I’m sure many of you feel the same way.

One thing that’s contributing to the feelings is that there is so much noise in our world right now! So many posts about what to do, how to do it, what you should be doing, how you should be thinking and feeling. On top of that there are SO. MANY. ZOOM CALLS. I actually feel like I am talking to people more than normal. There are also so many interesting things to do or watch. Museum tours, drawing lessons, reading hours, etc. At first it felt exciting to me, now I feel overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do with it all.

It is normal to feel whatever you’re feeling. Kristin Brabant shared a great quote on her email ist recently:

“It’s normal...if you’re denying your fear & pain to get through the realities of your day.

It’s normal...if you feel furious when you see leaders or loved ones making decisions purely for their own benefit. OR rage when you see others ignoring social distancing practices .

It’s normal...if you’re desperately seeking a solution but feeling hopeless while reckoning with HUGE, heartbreaking changes.

It’s normal...if you feel depressed because you don’t know when normalcy will return (if ever) and just want to feel a loved one’s hug or walk on a sidewalk without fear again.

It’s normal...if you’re in the messy test-kitchen, uncertainly experimenting with ways to pivot and grow in the wake of massive change.

And it’s normal...if you feel EXCITED for what’s ahead, if you’re experiencing a BOOM in business or creativity. It’s okay for you to be in a season of JOY, optimism & all-cylinders-firing creation, while your sister reckons with her rock bottom. It’s okay to be thriving personally right now, even as we collectively grieve.

You are normal.”

I would add, it’s also normal to be any one of these at any given moment. It might even change throughout the day. That’s normal. But just because something is normal doesn't mean it's right, or good, you don't want to stay in that state of depression.

Do you go to God first? Or do you grumble to your friends like I did yesterday on Marco Polo?

So what can we do?

Give yourself time to feel and process
Give yourself grace for not accomplishing everything on your to do list
Take time for quiet, lamet, prayer
Take your sorrows to Jesus
Lean more into his word than ever
Get out and serve
Pray.
Keep your eyes on the truth of who God is
Do all this OFTEN

Read my full blog post for this episode at https://christijohnsoncreative.com/allthefeels

Follow me on Instagram: @christijohnsoncreative

Intro/Outro Music:
Almost Bliss by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5032-almost-bliss
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Story Behind the Podcast | VP01

Verbally ProcessingBy Christi JohnsonMar 21, 2020