Photo from Gabrielle Henderson on unsplash.com
This home buying journey and moving around while waiting to move into a home of my own…is unsettling to say the least. I’ve never been so thankful for a room rental in my life. At the same time, it’s an odd feeling to be in that in-between space of “almost, but not yet”.
I’ve found that with the transition this summer that I lost some of my routines. I discovered some additional ways to help me stay sane and feel like myself while living with the instability that exists in my mind during this process.
Here are 5 things that have been helpful for me:
1.Keeping up with my faith habits: through it all, I have continued to keep a nightly appointment with God. I pray and read my Bible. The Lord alone has sustained me during this stressful time! Also, I have continued going to church and Bible studies with other Christians. The discussions, support, and prayer of other believers has “held me down” in all of the best ways this summer. That consistency has become more precious to me than ever.
2. Having honest conversations with friends and family: My loved ones have heard my complaints and the ups and downs. I even did video tours of the houses I saw so that they could be a part of the process. They not only offered a listening ear but advice and even paid for certain things as an act of love. I have so appreciated their willingness to just LISTEN andencourage me.
3. Incorporating as much from my old routine as possible: At one point during my homelessness stint as a couch surfer, it was tedious to try to keep up my regular routine because my surroundings constantly changed. I was living out of a suitcase so I didn’t have all of the things that I typically used from skincare to camera equipment as a content creator and even my usual health supplements. I was used to taking walks at certain times of the day and preparing my own meals and such… but I couldn’t really do that in someone else’s home. They had their own routines. So, I tried to pull in as much from my old routine as possible such as keeping certain supplements at my desk at work or keeping my sneakers in my car so that I could take a walk in the middle of the day. I also kept up with my reading habit by choosing one longggg book that I knew would take me weeks to get through. I even bought new hair products so that my wash days felt more spa-like since I made a choice to cut back on hair appointments this summer.
4. Doing nice things for others: I am one of those people who believes in giving people their flowers while they can still smell them so-to-speak. Volunteering is another way that I do this. Even with all of the instability in my life, I wanted to continue to be a part of ministry efforts and helping people in need (even though I was in need myself!). It helped to take my mind off of my own problems and to be grateful.
5. Practicing gratitude: On this topic, I tried to be thankful for the smallest of things (like when the puppy I was sitting finally would poop after a 40 minute walk or that the sun was out or that I didn’t have to wait in line at the grocery store) to the significant things (such as for good health, a car that runs smoothly, and money to pay for my other needs). I would often sit up in the bed that I was borrowing during a couch surfing stint and thank God that I was able to sleep in a bed and didn’t have to sleep in my car. I have had much gratitude for the blessing to even be on a home buying journey because I know there are so many people who want to buy a house but cannot. I do not take this lightly.
I wrote an e-book on gratitude in 2022 and found that I needed to consult it this year. You can check it out here. It’s free!
How do you guys stay sane during unstable times?