loss

Little nudges

by Katie Welker

July was rough for me.

My sweet, 92-year old grandma passed away. My husband had a severe allergic reaction to poison ivy that lasted almost a full month. Others in my family had some big health scares. Close friends of mine went through a number of hardships.

It was a lot. I would tell myself, “Okay, I’m ready for something good now.” And then a new piece of bad news would hit.

Of course, there were good things that happened, too. There were sweet moments and weddings and birthdays and smiles and laughter. They were just fewer and farther between, and they were layered with mental, emotional and physical exhaustion.

Yet today is August 1st.

A new month.

A clean slate.

Some may think it’s cheesy to consider a flip of the calendar a chance to start fresh, but not me. I constantly look for little nudges that get me out of my mental slumps.

So yesterday, the last day of July, I decided to let August 1st be a chance to start fresh. I used it as an opportunity to get motivated and clean the house. I redid our monthly calendar with excitement. I booked my first Pilates class for later this week. And this morning I chose to start my work week at a coffee shop vs. my home office. A change of scenery can really do wonders for the mind.

If you’re in a slump of your own, or maybe have just had a streak of exhaustion that’s been heavier than usual, I encourage you to let small things nudge you into a new direction.

Maybe it will be the first of a new month.

Maybe it will be a kind gesture from someone you love.

Maybe it will be the sunshine hitting your face.

Or maybe it will be something you choose to create for yourself.

Whatever it ends up being, let it shake off your exhaustion and bring you peace. Even just for a moment.

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Stretch

by Katie Welker

Last night I had a really meaningful conversation with my twin sister about the passing of our brother. You see, he passed away a few years ago – January 11, 2018 will be the four-year mark – and more often than not I live in a state of disbelief that he’s really gone.

We were frustrated in our conversation, wishing the old pictures we saw of him and of us together didn’t have to be blacklisted as “the last photo we took together”. To have a “last” of something so precious is always a tough pill to swallow.

“These two months are the hardest ‘stretch’ of time – every little thing can just trigger us to tears,” we said.

“It’s such a time of extreme highs and lows,” we said.

“I just miss him so much,” we cried.

Eventually our anger turned into exhaustion and we decided to say our I love yous and end the call. We still texted each other afterward, because a phone call followed-up with an “I love you” text is commonplace in the Costello household. We have a lot of love for one another.

And all of that love is what makes this two-month “stretch” leading up to and after his passing that much harder. We love him so much. Not loved. Not past-tense. Present. Love.

But as I was making a cup of coffee at work today, trying to get through this busy “stretch” of time right up to the holidays, I had that little light bulb go off. You know – the one that illuminates and shifts your perspective just a bit.

I realized that everyone has a difficult “stretch” of time in their life, and maybe even one that reoccurs the same time each year. Whether it’s the passing of a loved one that you just wish didn’t exist, those exhausting times at work where you know you’re burning the candle on both ends, or just adapting to a change that maybe you didn’t see coming.

We all have low periods of time that push us, bend us, break us, and make us stretch.

But here’s the good news.

When you push yourself to stretch amidst grief and chaos, good things are bound to happen. Because stretching results in improvement, refinement, and yes, even growth.