“What is TCT?” you ask. Clearly, it’s an acronym, not a word, at least not a word in any language I know. You won’t find it in the urban dictionary – the place I love to search for strange acronyms and inexplicable word usage. Yeah, I think I made this one up. It stands for “These Challenging Times.” Nope, I don’t expect it to go viral, but it made for a better title than if I wrote it all out. 😉
Anyhow. I ran across this quote and wanted to share it.
“Breathing involves a continual oscillation between exhaling and inhaling, offering ourselves to the world at one moment and drawing the world into ourselves at the next… — David Abram, Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology
I feel like I’ve drawn back from the world in TCT. I have offered very little, and, in some ways, I’ve limited what I’m allowing in. (Does that mean I’m breathing very shallowly? Good grief, I should move away from this whole breathing analogy…)
Starting again.
If we’re … seeing things in the world that make us feel sorrowful, then we need time to think about this. We need time to think about what we might do and where we might start to change things. We need time to develop clarity and courage. If we want our world to be different, our first act needs to be reclaiming time to think. Nothing will change for the better until we do that. ~~ Margaret Wheatley
So at some point, I will need to step out – out of my withdrawal, out of my inertia. I will need to offer something. Not here, but out there, in my vanilla life, you know? Maybe tomorrow. Wish me luck. 💜💜
Olivia 
Hi Olivia, TCT…I love it! Great quotes too! I don’t feel like I am offering much either at the moment. Sigh. As our Prime Minister says, by staying home you are doing your part and contributing. She also says act like you have covid.
Hugs
Roz
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Thanks, Roz, I’m glad you liked the acronym and the quotes! And yes. We are doing something by staying home. So there’s that. How are you doing? 💜
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I just loved this post, Olivia! It was so raw and real. I think many people are feeling like you, where we have slowed down and feel a bit withdrawn. But perhaps the world needed a pause from the busy-ness of everything? 🙂 And I love that TCT acronym hehe! That was brilliant! Sending you big hugs, my friend! Stay healthy and happy! xx
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Thank you so much, Penny! I’m glad you liked it. And yes, I definitely think the world needed a pause. Lol, I’m glad you liked my acronym too! Big hugs back to you – you take care of yourself, ok? 💜
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Great acronym Olivia! One day at time is all we are able to control, and we will get through this and thrive again. Hugs to you and yours!
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Heck, moment by moment is all we really have. Yes, we will get through this, of course. Thanks, and I’m glad you liked the acronym! Hugs back to you… 💜
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Lovely post. As others commented, great quotes and really, it feels like there isn’t much we can do even if we have the energy to do something. Do you sew? Maybe you could sew masks for hospitals? Or just post a rainbow in your window to cheer people on? Either way, staying at home is doing something too!
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Of course, yes, just staying at home is doing something! And oh, yikes, no, I don’t sew. I can hem stuff because I’m short – and embroider, which is actually a pretty but useless skill. And that’s it. No, honestly, I’m thinking in terms of myself as a life coach who – you know – helps people cope with things like this. So many people are offering special free offers and I would like to do that too. But not just yet. Thanks so much for the encouraging words!! 💜
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I’m sure you’d be a great life coach! Do you have any experience in the field?And yes, after this and during, people are really going to need help and support from life coaches!
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Yes, I’ve been a life coach for about a year and a half, but I was a psychotherapist for over 20 years. So yes. (I know, you couldn’t have known that…)
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Ohhh that’s great! You must be so good at it then! Wow!
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Today i saw something on my facebook that really struck me – i thought i might share it :
Don’t think of it as being STUCK at home.
You’re being SAFE at home. That one word makes all the difference.
So let’s BE safe. It may seem like a passive thing, but it takes real effort to STAY SAFE and STAY HOME.
Staying safely at home IS offering something – and not only to your loved ones, but to the whole world!
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I love that! Of course it’s true, that simple shift in perspective makes a huge difference. Thanks for sharing it!! 💜
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