Could all of this time apart bring us closer together?

Do you remember what life was like a month ago? You might have been going through the motions of another day. Rushing from here to there, doing the same things at work, grabbing food, or taking another person's presence for granted, maybe all of the above.

The world as you know it just paused. It is resetting not only in your community, but the nation, and every part of the globe. It will not go back to the way it was before. (Soon) when you dine in to eat you will know what life was like without the restaurant industry. When you are in front of another person (that you don’t live with) you will know how precious that is after distancing yourself for a while.

It becomes clear that all the little things are what mean the most when they are out of reach. Like wandering around a store to pass the time, or gathering together in schools, at concerts, or anywhere else for that matter. Laughing together, learning together, just being together. 

How have these last few weeks changed you? When you see the smile of a stranger do you smile right back instead of look away? Do you realize how much human connection means to you? 

Maybe now you know the lengths grocery store workers and truck drivers go to keep food on the table for your family. What the doctors, nurses, and all other health care professionals do to make sure they can to keep you healthy. What the authorities do to keep you safe. 

Maybe you already knew, but now all of the people in these careers have a deeper meaning. This time has brought about more love, compassion, and appreciation if you choose to see it in that way.

Even though a lot of you are safe inside, many have to put their health and the ones they love at risk to help others. So stay inside, for them. This is an unknown time for everyone. Not being sure of the future is an uncomfortable feeling, but when have you ever been sure? Things tend to stray away from the internal plan you create for yourself. You are not guaranteed the future you plan to have. 

The most difficult yet soothing thing you can do for yourself right now is to let go. Let go of your worry. Your fear. Your uncertainty. Your anxiety. Let it all go. Trust that it will all be okay again. Because it will be. Things might not be the same when this is over but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you focus on the bad, scary, and uncertain you are sure to get more of that in your life. Or you can focus on the good, the slowness, inspiration, the stillness, and so much more that this time has to offer. 

What have you done during this new way of living? Have you rediscovered your creative side? Have you done something to bring joy to yourself or others? Are you appreciating life in a way that you never have before?

One huge positive from all this is the planet is healing. Because many of you are (safe) at home instead of  traveling so you aren’t polluting as much. In bigger cities the sky and water is getting noticeably clearer. It is nice to flip the perspective and see the good this is bringing.

The longer we are all apart the closer we are coming together. I hope you can take something away from this time and not take this delicate life and human connection for granted anymore. 

It’s time to reconnect with yourself, this planet, and with each other. The wellness of you and this planet is what this community was founded on. Planted Mindfully will help you with slowing down your thoughts and living life more intentionally. We took a break but now we’re back! (Helping you grow so we can all help each other.)

Wishing you growth, health, and happiness,

Taylor Cooksey

Founder of Planted Mindfully

Why I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions

Every year when it gets close to January you try to set up a list of things you’ll do to make this year different. Let’s call them “New Year’s Resolutions.” You plan to stop eating sugar, start working out 4 times a week, drink more water, become more productive, finish a project, etc. In short you believe that the start of the new year is the cure to change your current habits. 

Well I really hate to break it to you but you’re wrong. I know this from personal experience. It might be a new year but it’s still the same you. You are an accumulation of your habits. The person you will be or not be is dependent on what habits you stick to. 

That being said you don’t need the start of a new year to change the things you wish were different about yourself. That’s why I think New Year’s Resolutions are crap. They give you the self-limiting idea that you need to wait until a certain time of the year to work on changing yourself.

When you inevitably give up on your resolutions the second or third week of the year, you feel like a failure and now have permission to go back to being your old self. 

So you’ll do it tomorrow.

Or maybe the start of the week, you’ll do it on Monday.

But not this Monday because you had a rough day at work. 

So now it’s Tuesday morning, but it’s early and you’re tired plus it’s too cold outside. 

You can just do it the first of next month.

Or you can wait until next year. 

You get my point? Your mind will give you a million excuses as to why you can’t do the things you tell yourself you want to do.

 So there’s no need to wait until Monday or tomorrow. And definitely no need to wait until next year. You can start changing your habits and adding in new things to your routine every. single. day. It’s a practice filled with a lot of failure, but that’s okay something tells me you’re up for the challenge. 

You can pick any day and time to do the things you want to do. But the thing is you need to make time and DO IT. 

So get out there and try something new! You never know how different you could be by next year if you started the thing right now.