The Wall

We’ve all hit it at some point and as we lap into year two of pandemic precautions, we all may be staring at it.  Call it fatigue, an obstacle or just general frustration – we all are dealing with a wall or walls that may be preventing us from moving forward.  To work with, get around, over or through your wall, consider trying one or all of the following:
 
Connection – If you are struggling to find things to talk about in conversations with those closest to you, try playing a game of chess or checkers, a jigsaw puzzle or a word game.  Now play it on your own time and have your housemate/friend/partner do the same.  Put a few pieces of a puzzle together, make your move on a game board and when the other person is in the mood, they can take their turn.  It’s a quiet, fun connection with few emotional walls to conquer.
 
Work – With no clear division between the office and home, we may be experiencing work creep at all hours.  Turn your computer off, put your phone away, take your watch off and mentally close for the day.  Be the owner of your business (both professional and personal) and set your opening and closing hours – creating a wall between your work life and your home life.
 
Home – Be it literal, but we may be stuck looking at the same walls and furniture day in and day out.  Move things (furniture, art, lights, pillows) around, add some color, bring nature inside (flowers, plants, etc.) and change/rotate any framed photos.  With a few simple tweaks you can be living with a different perspective.
 
Physical – Do something, anything that is fun and involves moving your body.  Keep it simple, silly and stretch out of the routine you have or haven’t committed to.  Break down your own mental barriers about what counts as exercise.
 
Self-care – Think about it as self- compassion.  Mix it up and treat yourself like you would a good friend.  Think about leaning more towards self-kindness rather than continuous self-improvement.
 
Food - We all get into eating ruts and we might be ravenous to get past them.  Challenge yourself and possibly your cooking (or ordering) skills to focus on a sensory element of what you need, want or crave.  Choose to dine on something with a different color, crunchiness, texture, smell and taste.  Experiment with a cuisine or ingredient you haven’t had in a while, or ever.  It’s a culinary expedition that you can safely venture on.
 
 
It's time to be your own builder – the writing is on the wall.