I could have been a drama queen the past two weeks but I have not. I feel like I handled a lot of emotions, activities, and situations rather well. It all started on a Thursday. I needed to rush to a friend’s house, it was her birthday and she deserves to be celebrated. The day before I got an offer for a new job! I closed my laptop and dashed out. We had a lovely time. Just four ladies who were grateful for life in this current season.
I got home and tried to power on my laptop but she did not respond! Her name is Tmax (I name all my devices Tmax… curtsy of my brother who renamed me Tmax against my wishes). Tmax would not power on! I decided not to freak out and I put her away and completed reading the book I was reading on my phone. I felt put out but confident that Tmax just needed to rest and she would be back the next day.
On Friday, I finished reading a book and ran errands for a friend. It was a busy blur. Tmax was still out of commission.
She was not responding! The next day, I was scheduled to clean my apartment, cook (I discovered that I had nothing to cook so I needed to go grocery shopping), make phone calls, attend a bridal shower, and then go see if the electronic systems engineer I know could figure out my laptop. We got to the surprise bridal shower late (thankfully the bride was late so we didn’t ruin the surprise). I put aside my laptop troubles and focused on being in the moment. I had a wonderful time.
On Sunday, I had to deal with the knowledge that my church had added a new screen and as one of the media team leads. I received several troubleshooting phone calls. My co-teacher for one of the classes I teach traveled so I took on the full load of teaching. I had a conversation in a friend’s car and my phone fell out of my pocket. Contacting her and getting my phone back took two hours and I needed to get to BestBuy to see if they could revive Tmax. They did but briefly. She was unresponsive and my first day at my new job was the next day.
On Monday, and my first day, I told my manager that my laptop was not responding and she got me another. The process of her getting me a work computer took two to three hours. I got to the office and realized I forgot my mask so I had to go back to retrieve it. I did a lot of running around because I also did not have coins for parking.
A lot has happened since then.
I have not been able to create in two weeks. I cannot have immediate solutions to my confusion at work either because everything is remote and I prefer in-person conversations and training. It’s okay.
I like to be organized, not lose things, and get things done. All the unexpected occurrences would have made me agitated in the past. The past two weeks have been intense but I have not felt the intensity of it all. Time, occurrences, … life seemed to have a mind of their own. In the past, I may have resorted to stress vomiting, tears, loss of appetite, and other stress symptoms. The occurrences I faced would have led me to feel anger, anxiety, fear, and shame. However, I have been fine.
I focused on what I could do within my power: I have enjoyed getting oriented with the demands of my new job. I created a list and focused on one thing at time until I had accomplished what I could. I left the rest. I talked about it and asked for help but I pretty much ignored what I couldn’t solve until I could.
Self-care: I made sure to steam my face, pamper my skin, jog, and ear healthy. I hung out with friends and caught up with people I had not seen in a while. This added to my business but made me stress less. I focused on nurturing relationships. I went on a trip too!
Trust: I have an understanding that God has got me and He understands why things are going the way they are at this time. I know He has put me in stressful situations in the past to teach me how to navigate life right now. I have more responsibilities so I need to be able to manage life well. The underlying knowledge that God understands, has got me, and will make all things beautiful has kept me balanced.
If you are experiencing stress at this time, I understand. It may seem like you cannot possibly add more to your plate but you need to. You need to add on the beneficial and intangible, which can only be found through relationships.
~ Oluwatomisin Oyegoke ~