**HOW TO TRANSITION OUT OF PANDEMIC LIFE & HONOR EVERYTHING WE’VE JUST BEEN THROUGH TOGETHER**

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch winter turn to spring without recalling the strangeness of March 2020.

And it’s an odd coincidence (to me, anyway) that it’s almost exactly one year later that we’re starting to contemplate The End.

I’ll be honest—I have a lot of mixed feelings about this all being “over.” And a lot of grief.

I want to talk (a lot) more about this. But today I wanted to share something else, in case it’s helpful to you…

I’ve been trying to convince my pod to do something to honor it all, like when the hobbits finally return from Mordor and they’re back at their old pub, exchanging that knowing glance before they clink their beer mugs and do their best to assimilate back into Shire life.

Yes, I’m a nerd. But LoTR never disappoints with the life lessons.

Anyway. Here’s what I’ve come up with…

1. Set aside some time to talk about this. The most important thing to me is that we don’t just slide back into parties and restaurants and seeing other people, without acknowledging the shift.

2. Take turns sharing some of your favorite moments from the past year, as well as some of the hardest.

3. Tell each person in your group something you’re specifically grateful to them for.

4. Tell your people what you need and want out of this transitional period.

For example: I’m planning to ask my pod & family members to remember that change and transition are really hard on me. I need to ease into things as much as possible. So I’m asking for grace, and patience, and for them to remember.

We’re also talking about what we want our friendship to look like, now that we’re “opening up the relationship,” as it were.

Take what you like here, and leave the rest. I’m not a pandemic transition expert; just a highly sensitive, think-y person who likes to make her friends talk about their feelings a lot. 😏