breathe.

So many of us can relate to moments of overwhelm right now - whatever our profession, calling or responsibilities - from work life to parenting and home-schooling, caring for vulnerable friends and family (or all of the above!), life is a bit (or a lot) upside down, and comforting routines are in smithereens.

As a small business owner in the age of coronavirus, there’s a lot to figure out very quickly, major upheaval to normalize and more decisions in a day than an entire week previously held. It’s a great opportunity to become stronger personally and professionally, yes - and also to lose your appetite and hair, if you’re not careful!

I was sitting on my balcony last Wednesday afternoon, in between work calls and attempting to wolf down lunch in ten minutes, when a wave of overwhelm rushed over me.

Instinctively, I immediately leaned over in my chair, put my head between my knees, and focused only on my breathing.

The emergency-preparedness training I’ve received on planes over the years had, apparently, landed on me.

After a minute or so of upside-down breathing, I felt better. I lifted my head, and laughed at what had just happened, internally thanking the all wonderful flight attendants who had inadvertently coached me for a future balcony moment - reminding me to stop everything, and take care of myself. 😊

Should you find the quote above, in blue, relatable, it’s yours to enjoy and share! You can visit our Instagram, @rbtlpaper, and click on the ‘wallpaper’ highlight in our Stories, screenshot the image you like, and save to your photos for use as a phone background.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support of Read Between The Lines® - whether you send us a word of encouragement via email, like or comment on a story or post, or order with us via our online shop, it all registers, and we’re so, SO grateful.

Mwah!

xo,