Play and the Pandemic

I left Canada to spend 6 weeks in Mexico, a week before the Coronavirus volcano erupted.

I wasn’t excited about the trip. I kept trying to get out of it. When others said, “Oh you must be so excited!” I wasn’t.

I sensed way back in November that something wasn’t right in our timing, though I couldn’t have predicted a world-wide pandemic. I never thought I’d stay for 6 weeks.

We’re going back home tomorrow, after 2 weeks. My instincts were right. I am eager to get home. I’m eager to be in my country, where I belong – even if it’s still cold and I’ll have to self-quarantine. I’m eager to play my part.

I’ve needed to be connected to the internet to know what’s going on – borders closing, flights cancelled, medical recommendations and yet I’ve also needed to escape from the noise and panic of the internet and maintain an inner calm.

That’s been an interesting dance.

I’ve done several things while I’m here that have really, really, helped:

1. I found a trusted news source. For me it’s CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I’ve banned Apple News, and all the other news sources that keep showing up on my feed with stories meant to grab you by the guts, read more and subscribe to their service.

2. I check in every morning – with me. I found a quiet spot. You can see it in the picture below. And every morning I take my Soul’s Calling Cards, shuffle them, and pick a card for daily reflection. Then I journal. It’s an amazing practice that helps me to connect with my soul.

3. I don’t do what depletes me. I don’t engage in conversation with people who are worried and frantic. I don’t try to convince people who are in denial that they need to make a change. I manage myself and my own experience. I’m staying in an expat community here in Mexico and initially I tried to listen to and calm the people who were hyper worried. It doesn’t work. I also tried to help the people in denial – trying to convince them that this was not an ‘Everything will go back to normal’ situation. That doesn't work either.

4. I connect to the people I love, on the phone and on video-chats. This includes family and it includes continuing my work – having a call with the Life Coach Sisterhood this week was SO energizing. I was so grateful that this group was there.

5. I go to outside to an uncrowded or isolated beach every day. Being outside, in the ocean, toes in the sand is an incredible gift and I’m appreciating the nature that is so abundant and beautiful here in Mexico.

This week, I'm also sharing with you the first card that I pulled on my morning check-ins when I came to Mexico. It seemed a little inappropriate because that’s the day that the coronavirus volcano erupted. But I picked that card 8 days later too, and I think it’s actually the perfect question to ask yourself and do NOW!

It’s all about play.

What tiny thing can you do to play today?

That’s the card I picked.

Can I be honest here? Playing is not my thing. I trained myself out of playing, and I don’t know why.

When I look back at my childhood, I remember lots of play – mostly with Valerie, my best friend. We imagined adventure, sang at the top of our lungs, threw marshmallows at cars (not recommended) just to see what would happen! We went Christmas caroling and donated the money to the children’s hospital, had car washes and lemonade stands so we could buy ourselves Adidas (the shoe of the day). Play was our language.

When Valerie moved away, when I was 13, play became more traditional. It was sports. I played on almost every high school sports team and play was hanging out and talking with my girlfriends for hours on the phone. By then I was hyper-aware of interpersonal dynamics and that’s all that we talked about.

But by the time I was 17 and ready for college, I listened to what I was told.

Don’t do sports in college because you need to focus on your school work.

And that’s when I quit playing altogether.

What’s your play history?

When did you quit playing?

And when I say quit playing, I don’t just mean quit playing sports. I mean quit that – singing at the top of your lungs play, the complete abandonment to enjoyment and freedom, taking a city bus and sticking your head outside to feel the breeze (also not recommended). Play as freedom and total abandonment into the activity – just because it feels good!!!! And time stands still.

That’s what I quit.

And I didn’t even realize it.

As a mom, when my son was young, I re-discovered play through his eyes. The way he savoured joy and the way he laughed with his entire body. The way he continued to play – that boys do – and that he even plays now at 25!

It’s so ironic that I picked this card of the first day of my vacation in Mexico and on the first day that the pandemic volcano erupted.

Your soul wants you to play.

 Your soul wants you to feel that abandonment and joy of belly-laughter, jumping into the waves, singing at the top of your lungs, feeling the rhythm of music in your body, inhaling the breeze.

What can you do to play today?

Even if you are in self or forced isolation?

Do it!

Big love,