MAGICAL MORNING | How It Helped Me Through Grief and Loss

There’s probably something in your life right now that is out of your control.

Can you believe that it’s been half a year since COVID19 reared its deadly head and while we hoped that it would miraculously go away in the summer and be a seasonal virus, it’s still here.

With no indication of leaving.

Who would have predicted that it would be that global event that would hugely change things, especially for us, globe-trotting families.

Do you remember the time when travel was accessible and easy? When you could just book an airline ticket and go, as scheduled, unencumbered by border restrictions, flight cancelations, social distancing and quarantine rules?

That feels like a lifetime ago.

If you’re a displaced Beijing-based family like ours, stuck outside of China, you probably don’t know when you’ll be able to fly home and sleep in your own bed again.

On the flip side, if you’re still in China, you don’t know when you will be able to fly out and see family and friends that you often visit in the summer. Those with senior family members or relatives, are unsure if they will see parents or grandparents again. Facing the possibility of illness and loss or grieving family members, is one of the toughest things that overseas families face.

I know how it feels.

My father-in-law passed away in Canada in February and my grandpa passed in March in the Philippines. Nothing to do with COVID-19. The difference was almost exactly a month but the funeral arrangements between the two of them were drastically different.

My dad-in-law, Jim Northcott, had a celebration of life in Woodstock, Ontario that thankfully Steve was able to attend (we couldn’t go because my daughter’s passports were being renewed at the Canadian Embassy) while my Lolo, Rodring Bernardino, had a Facebook Live funeral in Laguna.

My dad, the eldest of eight children, wasn’t able to go to his own father’s funeral because he was locked down in Manila, and I, the eldest of many grandchildren, was stranded in Thailand and couldn’t be there for my family.

“Grief is like an ocean;

it comes in waves,

ebbing and flowing.

Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes is overwhelming.

All we can do is learn to swim.”

– Vicki Harrison

Back in March, I had to learn to swim the tidal wave that engulfed us with the passing of family members,  the big news that China suspended foreign visas and closed the borders, and the announcement that COVID-19 had become a global pandemic.

I called my friend and WellWomen co-founder, Rebecca, and we both broke down over a WeChat call. We wanted to throw in the towel, stay under our bed covers and sleep this whole thing off.  But instead of quitting, there was one thing that we both started doing that anchored our life and shifted our experience.

We practiced the Magical Morning routine.

It became a lifeline, a routine that gave our day a purpose and a focus.

Every morning, we invested time in doing the following:

·       M: Meditation

·       A: Affirmation

·       G: Gratitude 

·       I: Imagination

·       C: Create

·       A : Action

·       L: Learn

We committed to showing up even when we didn’t feel like it…

 then things began to change.

The Magical Morning gave me the tools to shift from a place of grief, loss and fear to feeling empowered to move forward with hope, faith and an action plan to meet my goals.

We believe that it can do the same for you.

“You will never change your life until you change something that you do daily.

The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

-John Maxwell

Focusing in the present through meditation and affirmation, rooting down in gratitude, envisioning the future, moving my body, creating and learning capabilities towards my goals were the action steps that shifted my mindset and help me move forward from loss with hope.

If you'd like to know more about how to develop an unstoppable mindset, boost motivation and create momentum for action through your own Magical Morning routine then join us for a FREE Webinar.

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Hi! I’m Hannah. I’m a working expat mama of two girls. I co-founded WellWomen, teach Drama and devour chips dipped in mango salsa. Clothing auctions, Orchard brunches and warm tropical beaches are my jam. I love creating content, courses, and events that empower and inspire women and young people to live their best lives.

Our family is currently in Thailand. We came here in March and hope to return to Beijing soon. We live in Shunyi and meeting-up at the Roundabout with girlfriends is one of my favorite neighborhood activities.

Check-out www.dramayogi.com to learn more about the Fitness group.

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