My grandmother, Mimi, was an Adage Queen. She had a clever “saying” for everything.

As kids, when we were blubbering because something didn’t go our way, she’d say, “Be careful, you’re going to trip over your bottom lip.”

When we’d get caught with our finger up our nose she would quip, “Are you going to a dance?” To which we’d reply, “Huh? Uh, no.” And then she’d say, “Oh, I thought your were cleaning out the hall.”

But I think my favorite “Mimi-ism” is this. When things got rough and it seemed like everything was falling apart, my precious grandmother would comfort me by saying, “Well Pook, everyone in this world is crazy, except for you and me…and sometimes I wonder about you!”

Gosh, I miss Mimi.

The past few years, I’ve felt like I’ve been drowning in “crazy.” The world has changed.

Then I got to thinking, the world has always been crazy, maybe not stir crazy like we are experiencing today, but definitely  “nutty as a fruitcake.” (another Mimi-ism)

When I was in 2nd grade, we had drills where we all hid under our desks in case Fidel Castro sent a bomb our way. And the grownups all said, “These are crazy times we live in.”

In 1999, we were terrified that on December 31st, when the clock struck midnight, Y2K was going to not only crash our computers, but also destroy the world’s infrastructure. And, we all breathed a sigh of relief when 2020 came around and we were still here, and we said, “Everything sure is crazy nowadays.”

And today, with covid, political dissension, isolation, financial uncertainty, and climate change you might think, “The world can’t get any crazier~”

You are right. Our world is a mess.

So what are you doing about it?

For me, the past month or so, all I’ve wanted to do is sleep, carb load, feel sorry for myself, and curl up and suck my thumb. Sound familiar?

Good News, Henny Penny

News Flash! The sky is not falling.

Yes, the world is crazy, but hasn’t it always been that way? So again, I ask:

What are you doing about it? 

I have a few thoughts on this. I’m preaching to myself, and you’re welcome to jump on in. In a nutshell, here’s the Wimpy Girl plan for overcoming the Covid Blues:

Do the opposite of what your body is telling you it wants to do!

At this point are you wondering, like Mimi, about my sanity? Bear with me. Here’s what I mean.

1. Move it Wimpy Girl
   I know, I know, your body says, “I just want to hibernate.” Don’t. Pull yourself out of bed or your favorite chair and go for a walk or even better, a run.  Your brain will find a gazillion reasons not to, but as Nike says, just do it!

Chow down on Healthy
Dumb Pookie: I love bread. I love caramel. I love cheese. These things make me feel so goooood….

Smart Pookie: Shut up body. You lie. I can grow to love carrots and broccoli. I will try some new fruits I’ve never had before. I know I will never like tofu, but I’ll bet there are are a lot of recipes I can fix that will disguise the yuckiness.

Be like Smart Pookie and if you are lucky, you already love tofu.

1. Respect the ZZZZZZ
   Naps are underrated. If you have a hard time falling asleep, do what Mimi always told me.Pookie: I don’t want to take a nap. I want to play.

   Mimi: Oh, for heavens sake, I don’t want you to really go to sleep. Just rest your eyes.”

   Of course, within minutes I was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Rest is just as important as diet and exercise. Don’t underestimate its power. Just rest your eyes.

2. Don’t cocoon.
   Although cocoons are necessary to produce beautiful butterflies, this is not the time to “hole up.” Call your friends and family, do face chats, write emails, or send a text. You don’t have to be in the same room with someone to connect. Reach out, even if you can’t touch.
3. Improve your VoiceNo, I’m not saying to start singing lessons, I mean find a way to express yourself. Paint a picture, write a poem, try a new recipe, learn to samba…you get the drift. If there is something you’ve always wished you had tried or developed, well sister, now is the time.

Join My Crazy

So, is the world crazy?
You bet it is.

Are you crazy for feeling down in the dumps during this difficult time?
It’s natural to feel that way. We are all a little bonkers right now.

But, are you doing something or going to do something about it?
Please say YES and join me in being the best we can be as we weather this crisis. Find your hope. You’ve got this, Wimpy Girl!

#findthehope
#wimpygirlproject