Little did I know last December when buying our first home that a closing date of March 31, 2020 would be such a nightmare. There was no way that I could have known what the world had in store for this spring with the COVID-19 pandemic. Packing in < 3 days, driving across soon to be policed provincial borders, sanitizing every gas pump, sleeping in unfamiliar beds and self-isolating had not been on the menu last Fall.
The last 3 weeks have been a whirlwind, but what did I notice tonight after our first full day in our new home? I have 0 cravings for chips or chocolate!
I have eaten more chips, sugary treats and soda in the last 3 weeks than I have done for months. I have jokingly quoted the Penguins movie whilst tucking into some cheesy puffs on multiple occasions; “Dibble Me!”. Why? The dynamic and new stressors in my life, like so many others across the world, gobbling up all the energy in my tank. Reaching for that quick dopamine fix and the burst of energy found in those processed and ever so tasty junk foods is my body crying out “I do not feel calm, I am not ok”! And why have my cravings abated? Because I finally feel safe. Having my own home, knowing I have a mattress to sleep on, a cozy couch in front of the fire, laundry on site and a pan to cook my morning eggs in tells me that this will all be ok. It frees up my energy to focus on my response both personally and professionally to the virus.
Susan famously says in Foundations that reaching for salt and vinegar Miss Vickie’s is her tell. A colleague of mine told me that it was donuts for her for the last couple of weeks. And those are just the food tells. What about impulsively checking the news, overbuying toilet paper, flinching at a cough or snapping at our loved ones?