Our world looks a lot different this month than it did last month. There’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of change.
This is hard and it’s not normal.
But I know you and if you’re reading this, you’ve done hard things before. You’ve been scared. You’ve been uncomfortable. You’ve been worried. I know this isn’t what you’re used to…this isn’t the norm. But you’ve been in this head space before. You made it through that, so you can do this too.
So in the spirit of all of that, here’s what I’m doing:
- Make a Schedule
Maybe this is the teacher in me, but man, I operate better with a schedule. Get up at a regular time. Eat at a regular time. Workout/work/downtime at a regular time. Keeping some sort of routine is helping me feel normal. - Limit Screen Time
I wouldn’t normally spend all day on the internet or watching TV. I know it’s not in my best interest to start now.
- Workout Outside
For the love of whoever you pray to — DO NOT SIT IN YOUR HOME ALL DAY LONG! Gyms may be closed BUT the great outdoors are open. Your neighborhood is open. So I’ve been doing what we GRTs do…I get outside and ruck. Every day. My gym friends call the ruck workouts “Backpack à la Carm” which always brings a smile to my face during tough times. So I grab a ruck, maybe a sand bag, maybe one of those team weights I still have hanging out in my apartment and I just go. I go alone, take a few selfies or timed photos, to share with my friends. I’ve even FaceTimed with another friend while she was working out on her own as well. It makes me feel a little less alone. -
Set Goals and Milestones
- Ruck/walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Track your steps!
- Get to all those local parks, battlefields (I live in DC) and neighborhoods around me that I always see but never really make it to. I discovered a Civil War Fort about a mile from my apartment, and the new adventures have kept my rucks feeling fresh and exciting.
- I’m steadily making my way through my never-ending to-read pile (FINALLY!).
- Reach out. Video chat with your friends and family. FaceTime, Messenger, Zoom, Instagram. I’ve been doing some Instagram lives with my students. Have video Happy Hours and group FaceTime video chats to SEE and talk to the humans that I love.
I know it’s not normal. But then again, I’ve never been one to do “normal” very well anyway. #keeptraining
About the Author
Carmela Pine lives in Virginia and is a 6th grade teacher. She’s been rucking since 2013 and has helped lead the DMV GRT Ruck Club and the @girls_who_ruck Instagram page.
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