My first step out of the Crud and back into the world.
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| Photo by Alex Woods on Unsplash |
A co-worker recently called the Covid epidemic, “crud.” I thought it was the perfect word for the past couple of years. It feels like we’ve been in this cesspool of human waste that has led us from a moment of darkness to an illuminated path forward. Wow. What an icky metaphor. Bear with me for a moment. By human waste, I’m referring to the ugliness that accompanied the pandemic, not necessarily the physical waste that piled up as people produced more trash while sheltering in place became the new norm. I am referring to the humanity’s treatment of each other during one of the most difficult times in modern history.
I am using this Election Day, before the results are known, to reflect on what is happening in this nation and within my own sphere of influence (as Covey would say) to organize my thoughts on my path forward. How do I become my best self when so many, including myself, are trying to prevent that from happening?
Yes, I include myself. One thing that I have very much enjoyed during the Age of Crud is indulging my inner hermit. In my mind that hermit is modeled after a nun I met from California that lived in a cave. That’s a story for another day, but she was content living with minimal contact with the outside world. I consider myself a modern hermit. My cave is a 500 sf apartment that I am happy never leaving. I have everything I need in my cave. I have a modern workspace, including a sit-stand desk and ergonomic chair. I have my comfortable bed. I have a seating area for television and movie watching. And, I have a kitchen to store food but very rarely do I cook. Like most modern hermits, I live in an area where I do not need to leave my home. Everything I need comes to me — groceries, meals, medicine, and anything else I need to survive day-to-day. Additionally, I can get a number of things I do not need to survive but am buying anyway. Which leads to the conundrum — how do I get myself out of the hole I have created under the guise of surviving the pandemic.
before the crud:
- I was several sizes smaller (probably 100 lbs)
- My only debt was my mortgage, car payment (under $500 a month), and two credit cards that I could pay off every month based on the timing of my expense reports.
- Additionally, I had a solid four months of savings.
now:
- I have developed a sedentary lifestyle that has become very comfortable. No more walking every day or visits to the gym.
- I have accumulated debt and additional credit cards, as well as spending down my savings. I still have an emergency fund, but it could definitely be healthier.
Now what? How do I make incremental change that will effectively change move me closer to my best life? Like everything else in my life, I’m just going to make it up as I go along.
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