I look back on photos like these and think how I miss the happy, carefree times. This was a year ago at the Sweetfields sunflower farm that I absolutely love going to twice a year for sunflower and pumpkin seasons. They have the cutest photo spots, hayrides, activities, and sunflowers/pumpkins that you can bring home too!

While I hope that the sunflower season this year won't be completely overshadowed, I am choosing to focus on the good instead of the downsides of the times we're in.

During the stay at home quarantine, I started off trying to grow the blog and create more content. Then I found myself on social media all day every day, and after a couple weeks of that I was completely drained. So I did something I rarely do - put aside the to do list, stopped thinking about everything I needed to catch up on, and allowed myself to rest.

It can be tough to find a new normal during all of this. And it can lead to feeling very overwhelmed trying to handle it all on your own. So if you're finding yourself a bit stressed out as well, here are 5 easy ways that you can reset and feel refreshed again!


1 - Focus on creating something

There is so much creativity that we set aside during our normal daily life. Now is the time to pick up that paint brush, take photos from different perspectives, write the book you've been thinking about, make music, finish a pinterest diy...whatever it is that lets your creativity flow!

2 - Leave your phone in another room

I found this so helpful to take my mind off of everything going on and just be present in the moment! Whether I was working on something or watching a movie while crocheting, I put my phone aside (far, far aside in my room and out of sight) and gave myself a chance to breathe without feeling the need to check it every five minutes.

3 - Take a day to rest, and I mean really rest

That means, no to-do list for a day or two! Stop thinking and worrying yourself into a panic because you have this this and this that needs to be done. Let yourself just go through the day peacefully. Sip on coffee, lay out in the sun, read a book, have a solo worship session, listen to a sermon or podcast, whatever makes your soul feel happy and at peace again.

4 - Clean!

Whether it's your closet, house, or car, find something and just start. Sometimes cleaning/organizing can feel therapeutic. There's something to show for the effort you put into making everything look nice and fresh again. You should feel accomplished!

5 - Catch up with friends and family

We're all in this together. Pick up the phone and call or video chat a friend or family member. It doesn't matter if you talk every day or if you haven't talked in months. Take the time to have a real conversation, leave out the what's going on in the world part (we all need a break from hearing it at this point) and just talk about things that make you smile.




Not because things are back to exactly how we want them. Not because we have the outcome all figured out. But because we know the One who does. Because if there's one thing we can hold on to during this time, it's faith that not only will things get better but there's something good happening in this season that we can either choose to ignore or choose to see.

There's a togetherness of people that we haven't ever witnessed before. There's time to just be instead of do. There's a pause right now that we all needed without knowing it.

Soon the darkness will be overcome with light. But I want you to know that even today, there is hope.

Things are getting better. Things are looking up. Let's trust where we are at. I am thankful we're in pretty good hands. As even our president said, "Through the grace of God, we will prevail, we will endure, we will be stronger than ever."



When this is over, and we can go out and resume life as we deem normal, let us not just go "back to normal" but instead let's be better than that. Let's continue to consider other people and what they may be going through. Let's live every day as if it very well could be our last. Let's find time to slow down and rest. Let's be a helping hand in the lives of those around us. Let's be better. ♡

"The question is, do we have faith that stirs us or do we fall to a life that is shaking us?"
-from an online sermon (Vous, a church in Miami)