Doing life during a pandemic is a lot. The entire world, as we know it, tilted off its axis, sending all of us careening in a direction we didn’t see coming. If you are anything like me, you’ve spent the majority of 2020 trying to regain your balance. Trying to bear crawl your way back to standing and make sense of your surroundings.
I don’t know if we’ll ever truly make sense of the new landscape, but we have no choice but to make do. We need to make the best of what we have as we adjust to a new way of living.
Raising teens is also a lot. Our entire mom world, as we know it, also tilts off its axis, sending us careening in an emotional direction we for sure didn’t see coming. If you are anything like me when I was raising teens, you spend a lot of time trying to find your equilibrium. Trying to find some sure footing amid the daily ups and downs and all arounds.
Sometimes the most effective way to manage the chaos and uncertainty in both scenarios is to mentally check out of the madness for minute. To ignore the stressful thoughts clamoring for our attention and focus on something that transports us to a different reality and calms our nerves. And binge-watching a T.V. series is an effective escape route.
One of the shows that can provide this haven is Ted Lasso, which streams on Apple+. Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis as a former college football coach selected to run a Premier League soccer team in London. I don’t need to get into a detailed synopsis except to say I experienced 300ish minutes of uninterrupted laughter and heart-bending enjoyment as I watched all ten episodes straight through. Now I am in full-blown Ted Lasso withdrawal, and it appears I have to wait until August of 2021 to get my season 2 fix.
Friends. This show. It is epic. Ted Lasso is precisely what your heart and soul needs. Not only will you experience all the feels, but you will long to adopt every character into your family. With so much going wrong in the world, Ted Lasso represents what’s right. What is good, what is desperately needed.
Trust me when I say you need this show in your life. Here are the seven reasons why this series will give you hope as you tiptoe through teenagedom and maneuver through this health crisis we are all facing:
1. It’s a masterclass in vulnerability
God knows this pandemic has shoved us all into a vulnerable state. I don’t even need to explain how vulnerable we feel raising hormonal teenagers. Being vulnerable is rarely on anyone’s bucket list. But Ted Lasso reminds us how much beauty comes from allowing ourselves to enter into this unguarded space so we can grow. As mommas, we do this by opening up about our struggles and getting the love and encouragement we need.
2. You see firsthand the power of grace and forgiveness
We are living in a world that is brimming with reasons to be angry and bitter. The fury and fear continue to divide us. Raising teens comes with a lot of irritable territory as we deal with mood swings, sass, and all kinds of hard stuff. I think all of us can use a refresher course on the power of forgiveness, and the characters in this show model it beautifully.
3. It reminds you of the importance of being ‘seen and heard
More than anything, I think our teens long to be seen and heard…for who they are, not who we hope they will be or wish they were already. We owe it to each other to lean in and do our best to understand and validate one another as we face the challenges of life together. Ted Lasso pays attention to everyone in the room and, in doing so, builds up the collective.
4. You’ll laugh you’re ass off
Laughter is always the best medicine, and this show does not disappoint.
5. It demonstrates how the power of positivity goes a forever way
In a world bearing the weight of a pandemic, we definitely need to be around people who believe the glass is half full. Our kids, who bear the weight of being a teen, definitely need some good vibrations to mix in with their moods. Ted Lasso is that guy. He proves that having a good attitude is a choice, and positivity has a profound ripple effect. As mommas of teens, it isn’t always easy to be this person for our kids and stay positive when we are at our wits end. So, maybe we just need to adopt Ted Lasso into our family for awhile.
6. It highlights how authenticity heals
None of us are immune to pretending to be someone we’re not at times. We are experts at masking our pain and shielding our insecurities with self-preserving armor. But we long to be real. We desire to live authentic lives. The characters in Ted Lasso show us how having the courage to be honest and transparent brings tremendous healing for everyone. They remind us why it’s essential to remove the facades and so we can thrive. Sometimes we just need to let our teens know how we really feel because more times than not, we are sharing similar emotions for different reasons.
7. It proves that although change is uncomfortable, we are capable of adapting
Changes should be the theme song for 2020. It feels like every aspect of our life has changed from top to bottom.same when the teen season rolls in. As a general rule, we aren’t superfans of change, especially when we aren’t seeking it. But, as humans, we are very capable of adapting and finding our way. Ted Lasso provides us a perfect example of what it looks like to recalibrate and find our groove in a new environment, with new rules and different surroundings.
Perhaps even more compelling than all of the above is the hope Ted Lasso provides for us. This show embodies what it means to be human—the joys, struggles, triumphs, and defeats that we all endure while somehow finding a way to keep pressing forward. And the way we get through life is ‘together’ —something the show reminds us of every episode in how they portray the characters and their relationships.
As Ted says, “I believe in hope. I believe in believe.”
And hope does not disappoint. We just need to believe so we can see.
This was a contributed post from Shelby Spear. Shelby is a sappy soul whisperer, sarcasm aficionado, pro-LOVE Jesus adoring mom of 3 Millennials writing stuff & doing life w/ hubs of 25 yrs. She is the co-author of the book, How Are You Feeling, Momma? (You don’t need to say, “I’m fine.”) You can read her open heart about the revelations, screw-ups, gaffes, and joys of motherhood on her blog shelbyspear.com, around the web, and in print at Guideposts.
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