Looking from the driveway of our RV vacation home in Mission TX to the road in front of our property, watching for hummingbirds and butterflies that drop by often.
Greetings from Mission Texas!
My husband and I are spending most of September at our rental property in Mission, TX, which is very far south in the Rio Grande Valley bordering Mexico. We are very close to a state park that is known worldwide as a "birder's" paradise, and also an amazing butterfly center.
Our RV pad with tiny coach "house" is usually rented out during the winter, but it's currently vacant, so we thought we would come check on things and get away for a bit. Although it is just as hot as south Florida, there's a community pool just a few steps away, and we can say hello to neighbors as we walk by or ride our bikes (keeping our physical distance, of course).
I'm continuing to teach my online yoga classes via Zoom, and we're finding little projects to do in the 10 x 20 ft coach house. I'd say the biggest luxury has been sleeping in until 7 or 8 am. Not only did we gain an hour by going from Eastern to Central Standard Time, but we don't need to get up at 6 am as we did back home.
No Worries?
I'm sure this all seems very ideal, but in reality I'm struggling with anxiety as my husband's work industry (aviation) continues to decline as a result of the pandemic. We are, in fact, on a "forced" vacation because he is currently on a 30-day furlough, and we don't know what will happen after that. From the looks of things, the furlough may continue, and actual layoffs may happen too.
So how am I managing my tendency to worry all the time? The same as I always do, and not always in this order:
Breathe - remembering to take deeper, slower breaths always calms me
Stay present - observing what is right NOW with all of my senses keeps my "monkey mind" from spinning out of control
Practice yoga poses - moving really helps me identify and release tension
Acknowledge what IS - rather than suppressing negative feelings about the situation, I try to stay realistic
Find gratitude - thinking of any blessing that I have (often my husband Luis) makes life feel less burdensome
Face my fears - Asking "what's the worst that can happen?" is actually useful, because I know that no matter what happens, it will be ok
Share - reaching out to family, friends, and even sharing this with you allows me to receive support
Let go - honestly, this one's the hardest, but once I've done all that I can reasonably do, all that's left is to release the worry and enjoy life, right?
I will continue to share pictures, thoughts, and inspiration with you, but I wanted to let you know that life isn't always butterflies and hummingbirds, and that's also ok.