Giddy up! Come on Ol’ Paint! Let’s go! Giddy up! There’s a nice juicy carrot back at the barn …

Ol’ Paint does not seem to be moving.

Carrots aren’t effective motivators lately.

Even the sound of the whip snapping in the air does not keep Ol’ Paint motivated.

Can you relate? I can. I’m Ol’ Paint!

Early on during the stay-at-home orders, I was relishing digging into much over-looked projects. As a solo stay at homer, the honey-do list is written my me and handed to me.

Scrub this; organize that; sew masks; start “farming” – throw action-oriented posts up on Facebook.

Life’s a breeze filled with motivation and lots of carrots.

Now? Meh. Not so much.

I think I’m beating a dead horse.

Mind games of holding that first cup of coffee hostage until I did daily morning planks, used to be a thing that created success – especially when I texted the accomplishment to my plank buddy.

Now? I’ll do those planks when I am good and ready, thank you!

Rebellion! Total rebellion!

What’s going on in my mind – and possibly yours as well – is a deep-seated need to control; and with so much control having been taken away, there’s some rebellion going on trying to seize it back.

We see this publicly on the news each day. I will not open that can of worms by engaging in exhaustive social commentary. However, I gladly wear my mask and am only carefully tippy-toeing into Phase 1 – just sayin’.

But personally? The zest for accomplishments, productivity, and physical movement is difficult, if not impossible, to sustain.

While I’m not flat lining in life, the giddy up feelings are fleeting. I want to be more, do more, and self-start with more ease. What to do?

If Ol’ Paint doesn’t want to move down the same path and be rewarded in the same way, we need to find out why. What are other options? How can the reward change? Is a different schedule needed?

A good place to start might be getting the 80,000-foot view. Look at the bigger picture from way up high.

What do you see?

Loneliness?

Forced change of travel?

Boredom?

Fear?

Self-doubt?

Lack of motivation?

Lack of daily patterns?

Inability to see beauty?

You are probably thinking of twenty more to add to this list.

Clearly, for me at least, the old motivators are either not there or they look a lot different now. If you are not alone within your four walls, this could become a meaningful group/family activity. The 80,000-foot view could surprise.

So, if Ol’ Paint is having a hard time making it along the way, get off his/her back to lighten the load first. Then, reconsider how many hurdles your horse must jump each day to feel a sense of accomplishment.

We are all in uncharted territory. The stress still spins in the background whether we know it or not. Sleep habits are frequently thrown off – especially if we are not being expected to attend a Zoom meeting at 8:00-9:00-10:00 in the morning. Maybe even if we are obligated to be on screen. It’s a daily lesson in self-discovery with an over-arching message of needing to be easy on ourselves.

Take some weight off Ol’ Paint.

There is one universal truth that still applies during this trying time. To lessen our own angst, we can look away from our own needs to the needs of others. Shake that deer-in-the-headlight feeling that seems so prevalent and reach out to someone else each day. Something other than Facebook.

Preferably, call a friend or associate just to say hello and to check on them. Send a card in the mail. You remember the mail? It still comes and don’t we get excited when something other than a bill or an ad is in the box? Brighten someone’s day with a simple contact.

You’ll find that such caring for others will make you feel better as well.

Is a friend not able to go inside the doctor’s office or hospital while their loved one gets medical treatments? Offer to meet them in the parking lot while they wait! You can social distance 6 feet away through open car windows while wearing masks.

Spreading joy to others bounces right back to us!

Easy access to concentration skills had eluded me lately. Reading a fascinating, yet technical, article is somehow just not withing my grasp. But I have been given a different kind of concentration to do. A Mother’s Day gift of an exquisitely alluring two-sided picture of succulents has totally captured my imagination. I can’t help clapping in the air when I put pieces together and finish a section.

Part of my fear-like concerns during this time is how all this isolation will affect my mind. Being able to conquer this puzzle, figuring out how to use a new sewing machine to craft masks, and figuring out how to plant a garden have all given my brain a run for its money.

That’s another point. I am profoundly grateful to my children who are keeping close tabs on me. Calls, texts, Facetime, Marco Polo (a new one for me!), and gifts of cards, puzzle, and a sewing machine are not only keeping me thinking, functioning, and happy, but are helping to close the gap we all are feeling across the miles with no travel in sight.

Today’s food for thought is to:

• Reflect on your situation from the 80,000-foot perspective
• Shifting focus away from your concerns to become a bright light for someone else will ease everyone’s pain
• Be easy on Ol’ Paint

’m wearing gym clothes this rainy day with the doable goal of exercising every time I move. High steps, squats, weights in hands to work arms and abs. The Beach Boys music really gets me stepping and moving in creative exercise ways! Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees is a favorite to power me through planks!

In health-

Deidre

Sharing these posts with friends is another way to reach out! Ol’ Paint is learning about Facebook Live, so stay tuned for regular short missives. Like Foodtalk4you on Facebook so you won’t miss out, AND like Toolkits for Health on Facebook where I’ll soon be doing short Live events to help Caregivers.

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