Weeks into the stay at home order, how are you feeling?

My husband and I were having a conversation this morning about our financial plans and future. I know that doesn’t sound too exciting and at first it wasn’t, but when we got to the part of adding up how much we could save, the excitement kicked in!

As I thought about the possibilities, I thought about all of us who have been impacted by the Coronavirus.

In times that are so unsure, it’s easy to feel uncertain, afraid even. Just like looking at your finances. If you focus on how uncomfortable it will be to tighten up the budget, it’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated.

I’ve learned when you switch your focus from the discomfort of the here and now and decide to refocus on a positive plan for the future, everything changes!

Our focus matters. Having a hope for the future matters.

What’s in your future? For us, retirement isn’t too far off. Our kids college is right around the corner and that’s so mind blowing to me! It seems like yesterday we were planning our wedding! How did years pass so quickly?

It’s inevitable, time will pass, so what will you do with it?

Focusing on something positive, something beautiful for your own future is a powerful and very important thing. If you were supposed to get married and your date is unknown, there is no reason you can’t still plan.

Pick your place. Find that dress. Envision what it will look like, what it will feel like, and get excited! Don’t allow the uncertainty of the here and now stop you. This too shall pass and you have a beautiful future ahead of you.

But, how do you even go about planning a wedding – or planning your future – when you do not even know what your next day looks like? For example, will you go back to work next week, will your kids actually go back to school at the beginning of the year, or will you be able to say “I do” in front of your family and friends?

I get it. It’s easy to be scared, but sometimes, fear brings out the best in us. Fear brings out dreams and feelings that we never knew we had buried within ourselves. Don’t let this fear drag you down, but instead, let it raise you up and let it see your potential.

While everyone is definitely struggling to some extent, the people who are probably really struggling with the unknown are the people who are about to become parents and the people who were supposed to tie the knot this year.

Both of these situations are so important and I know that you want your experience to be perfect – to be how you envisioned it to be. I do hope that it happens for you!

If you are expecting a bundle of joy and are worried about your partner not being allowed in the delivery room with you, I highly recommend doing your research. See what your options are and figure out how to battle your fear, head first. Your birthing team can help you with this. You are strong, you are amazing, and you will figure this out one step at a time.

For the brides in the room – like I said, please do not feel as if you cannot plan (or re-plan) your big day. If you have not started planning yet, start by researching venues online. That is a great way to start out without breaking social distancing laws and it is so much fun finding new venues!

For example, if you are in search of an Asheville wedding venue, you might want to research Jeter Mountain Farm. If you go on their website, you can find a ton of information about their wedding venue in North Carolina. I looked it up and it is just beautiful.

They have a 35,000 square foot barn, 5,000 apple trees, a peach orchard, a berry patch, and over 20 acres of tomatoes. They run as a wedding venue and also a running farm, as well. Jeter Mountain Farm offers views of rolling hills and forest, surrounded by the mountains. It was established in 2005 by the Hunsader family, but dates back to 1813.

If you are looking for a special place with beautiful facilities and views, this might be a great first place to start your online search for the perfect venue!

No matter what it is, I want to encourage you to set a positive goal to focus on during these uncertain times. We’ll never be able to control everything that happens to us but we can control how we deal with it. So dream big and start planning for something that excites you! Your big day, a trip once this all over, a BBQ with family and friends. Whatever it is, when you are feeling down, ask yourself, what can I do right now to work towards my goal?

With Love & His Spark,

Lisa