If you are feeling tired and wondering where the energy for the rest of the year will come from, you are not alone. Over the past weeks, I have been observing people around me and noticing the fatigue in their eyes. This year has demanded a lot from us all.
 
In this blog post, we will explore three tips to help us transition to the next phase and make the best of the upcoming months.  Check out part 1, part 2,  part 3 , part 4,  part 5, part 6, part 7 and part 8 of the transition preparation guide.
 
#1: Be kind and patient with yourself
With the type of year that we have all had so far, it is important to cut ourselves some slack. We are under a lot of stress and facing new situations that we had no chance to plan or prepare for. How you treat yourself during this time is very important. You may not be meeting all the expectations that you have for yourself and that is ok. Be patient with yourself and acknowledge that you are doing your best with the current situation.
 
Strategies to consider

• Think about how well you are doing with everything going on
• Say nice things about yourself

 
#2: Set priorities and boundaries
There are many things that place demands on your time and attention. To conserve your energy for the most important things in your life, it is essential to set priorities. When you know your priorities, you will be able to dedicate time and energy to them. Ensuring that people around you know your boundaries will make you feel like you are more in control. Setting priorities and boundaries are an effective way to take care of yourself.
 
Strategies to consider

• Write down the top three priorities in your life today
• Let people around you know what your priorities are

 
#3: Believe in yourself
To thrive over the next months, you will need to be confident in your ability to succeed. You have what is takes to survive and thrive. When you start doubting yourself, remember all the times you were faced with difficult situations and were able to come out on top. What keeps me going is knowing that we will look back on this year and be proud of what we were able to accomplish.
 
Strategies to consider

• Celebrate your small and big wins
• Be positive and hopeful

 
Final Thoughts
Let's wrap up this post with one lesson that I have learned:
As a community, we are responsible for caring for one another. With everything going on, we need to look out for each other. I am incredibly grateful to all the people who have been checking on me and have made it a priority to check on other people.
 
Call to Action
How have you shown your strength in the past months? Celebrate your inner strength

Time is going by very quickly. I feel like July just started and we are already in the final weeks of the month. There are many new lessons that we have been learning through these uncertain times. I am excited to see what the next months bring.
 
In this blog post, we will explore three tips to help us transition to the next phase and make the best of the upcoming months.  Check out part 1, part 2,  part 3 , part 4,  part 5, part 6 and part 7 of the transition preparation guide.
 
#1: Build and connect with your support network
One of the recurring themes in my recent blog posts has been the people in our lives. Over the past months I have been reminded of the fact that having people we can confide in is very important. Going through life alone is hard.  There are so many benefits of having a support group with people who can be companions on your journey. Talking to others, sharing experiences and learning from them will help broaden your perspective.
 
Strategies to consider

• Find a group of people who you can share your experiences with
• Spend time regularly with the people who help you

 
#2: Admit when you are struggling
Many of us have been trained to put up a strong front and act like everything is ok all the time. It is ok to not feel good or struggle with managing everything in your life. Giving yourself permission to admit when you are struggling is essential. When people around you know what is going on, they are able to help you. I have had to learn to ask people in my personal and professional life for support when I need it. Also knowing that I am not the only one feeling helpless at times, helps me.
 
Strategies to consider

• Be aware and open with your struggles and challenges
• Ask for help if you need help

 
#3: Be aware of your needs and take care of yourself
Helping others be comfortable and happy is something most of us are good at. Imagine if we paid ourselves as much attention as we did to others. Thinking about what we need is not something we do very often. To be healthy in our mind and body, we need to feel like our needs are being met. When we know what we need and find ways to meet our needs, we will be healthier and happier.
 
Strategies to consider

• Take 10 minutes to think about what you need and are not getting today
• Identify one thing you can do for yourself and do it

 
Final Thoughts
Let's wrap up this post with one lesson that I have learned:
This past week, I felt a deep feeling of gratitude. With everything going on, I needed to remind myself of the good that is happening in my life. Sometimes it is hard to see the good in the midst of all the scary things happening in the world. I have been reminding myself daily of how blessed I am.
 
Call to Action
How will you love yourself this week? Show yourself some love.

For most of us summer is officially here. Seeing the sun makes everything feel different. Although, many people have had to adjust their typical summer plans, there is hope and optimism in the air.
 
In this blog post, we will explore three tips to help us transition to the next phase and make the best of the upcoming months.  Check out part 1, part 2,  part 3 , part 4,  part 5 and part 6 of the transition preparation guide
 
#1: Get organized and get rid of things you do not need
With everything that has happened over the past four months, things seemed to have piled up and have been taken care of. Now is a great time to bring some order back into our lives. Start with one of the tasks that you have being putting off for a while. It could be sorting out your clothes, clearing the kitchen, decluttering your storage, organizing your paperwork, or reviewing your plan. There is a magical feeling of being in control of your life when you get organized.
 
Strategies to consider

• Make a list of areas where you want to get organized
• Choose one thing to organize over the next week

 
#2: Find ways to simplify your life
One of the things that have become very evident over the past months is that we are juggling a lot of things. Although the pace has slowed down a bit, it still feels like we are having to do so many things at once. There are some great tools that can help simplify our lives. A few major changes that I have made is to do most of my shopping online to reduce the need to go into a store and getting some take-out food on days where I need a break. This might sound quite simple, but it took me a while to think about these things as worth doing to improve the quality of my life. I now have some more time to get some rest.
 
Strategies to consider

• Think about areas that you are struggling to keep up in
• Research tools, resources or people that can help you take care of the tasks

 
#3: Do something special with someone you love
Over the past months, we have been reminded of the importance of having amazing people in our lives. Take advantage of the amazing relationships you have and enjoy bonding with people you love. We might have to be creative as we think about how we can connect deeply with our people. Please remember that being safe is a priority. Some ideas could be having a great meal with your partner, organizing a fun virtual event with good friends, watching a movie, or playing games together.
 
Strategies to consider

• Think about ways to connect deeply with your family or friends
• Schedule time to do one fun thing with a special person this week

 
Final Thoughts
Let's wrap up this post with one lesson that I have learned:
The human connections that we have are very important. When I look back at the past months, the people in my life have helped me survive and thrive. I have had many amazing conversations, connected with people deeply, shared my feelings and laughed a lot. I feel closer to my people and appreciate them even more every single day.
 
Call to Action
What are you not going to do this week to give yourself some time to relax and have fun?

As we navigate the new and unknown, it is crucial to equip ourselves with resources and support mechanisms. We are all learning and growing as we get introduced to our new lives.
 
In this blog post, we will explore three tips to help us transition to the next phase and make the best of the upcoming months.  Check out part 1, part 2,  part 3 , part 4 and part 5 of the transition preparation guide.
 
#1: Get a routine or get back into your routine
With the recent changes to how we live, it is easy to feel like we are losing control of our time or schedules. If you are like me and still working from home, it might feel like your days just flow into each other. I started feeling better when I implemented a new routine for my days. At the end of each day or week, you might find yourself wondering what you achieved. I try to do the same things every day that I know work to give me the sense of fulfillment at the end of my day.
 
Strategies to consider

• Think about the important things you need to do every day
• Start a new routine to manage your time efficiently

 
#2: Explore and do new things
Especially since most of us have been staying home a lot, we are missing some opportunities to get inspired by the world outside. We need inspiration to help us continue dreaming and doing new things. When I start feeling stuck, I know that it is time to explore other things that I can do. I start by doing my research and then I plan to take action towards making my dreams a reality. With the help of the internet and tools at our fingertips, we can continue to explore and learn new things.
 
Strategies to consider

• Identify one thing that you have always been curious about
• Do some research and educate yourself about it

 
#3: Read a good book or listen to a podcast
Taking care of yourself is a priority. As part of our self-care routine, we can introduce some cool ways to refresh our thoughts. I have found that reading or listening to a great podcast are easy ways for us to distract ourselves and expand our perspectives on life. I enjoy listening to audio-books or podcasts while I cook or do chores.
 
Strategies to consider

• Search for good audio-books or podcasts on topics that interest you
  
• Make some time to listen to them daily

 
Final Thoughts
Let's wrap up this post with one lesson that I have learned:
One of my habits that I have been trying to unlearn is the need to be busy all the time. I used to equate not doing anything with being lazy. Over the last months, I have learned the value of sitting still, taking naps and doing nothing. It has become more important for me to get some rest. Over this past week, I took some days off work and stayed in bed for most of the time. It feels really good not to judge myself when I do something for my body.
 
Call to Action
When was the last time you scheduled some "me" time? Make some time for yourself this week.