Well ladies and gentlemen. We made it. Welcome to 2021. I know a lot of us doubted our ability to get here and let’s be honest, the first week gave 2020 a run for it’s money. It’s February now. We have a new president in the White House, COVID vaccines are starting to make their way into peoples’ arms and rates of infections are going down.
This is seemingly all good news, right? So then why is it that all my clients, colleagues and myself are feeling more compelled to get back into our sweats, grab a cozy blanket and hide under it until all of this is over? It’s because we’ve hit the pandemic wall.
I know what you’re thinking. “Pandemic wall? Another new phrase, seriously?” Yes, seriously. From quaran-tigue, quaran-time, Zoom doom, and good ole fashioned burn out, we have gotten here. Some of you may be doing an internal assessment right now trying to figure out if you’ve hit your wall. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.
If you are feeling overly exhausted, less motivated, depleted, stressed out and overwhelmed by even some of life’s smallest tasks, chances are you’ve hit the wall. Perhaps there are some feelings of hopelessness sprinkled in there too. I get it. It makes sense.
Let’s just reflect on the last eleven months real quick. I want to highlight the emotional rollercoaster we’ve been on. March- the world shut down. There was some novelty during the spring. People thought of this time as a mini-vacation, a new way to do life and felt inspired to create new goals and have a “glow up,” of sorts. Everyone kept saying, “This is all going to be better by summer. Celebrating 4th of July will never have felt so good.”
Then, summer arrived. The warm weather, sunshine and an ability to do things with people outside kept most of those heavy emotions— loneliness, isolation, hopelessness, depression— at bay. “Just get to the fall. We will definitely have this under control by the winter. We have to. If we don’t, this could get a whole lot worse.”
And then it did. And here we are. My intention in providing you with this recap is not to add to your frustration, sadness and despair. It is to validate it. For almost a year our brains and bodies have been in fight-or-flight mode, with little respite. There was a lot of talk in the beginning about having self-compassion, giving yourself and your loved ones grace and unfortunately, we as humans have done what we do best— adapt.
Become of our adaptability we have forgotten that what we are doing, that this period in history is immensely challenging on a number of levels. Take this as your reminder.
So now what? Now, we hope and think ahead towards brighter days. I know how trite that sounds, but really what other choice do we have? If we let the wall keep out the light we won’t be able to get through this time. We won’t be able to help our loved ones through this time.
I wish I could write a magical prescription for each of you to help get through this time. While I can’t tailor these magical potions, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Go back to the basics. Drink water. Get outside. Move your body. Eat nourishing food. Sleep. Rest and reset.
2. Remind yourself what has gone right. What positive things have happened in this last year? They can be big or small. It might be hard to identify them initially but I guarantee they are there.
3. Set small goals for yourself, your family and your relationships. Be sure that these goals are achievable and are in alignment with what you want to do. This helps keep your momentum going.
4. Create affirmations or read things that lift you up. Amanda Gorman has some incredible lines from The Hill We Climb that instill a sense of hope and unity.
5. Give yourself and others grace. We are all in a challenging time in our lives. Give others the benefit of the doubt and trust that they are doing things to the best of their ability.
This pandemic will end. We all will return to a semblance of life as we knew it. We will be able to hug our loved ones and stand next to them with all love and no fear. This day will come.
“There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman
Hi! My name is Marina. I am a twenty-something therapist living in a plugged-in world, with pressure to do it all, all while trying to stay sane. I recognize that the twenties and entering adulthood can be both a trying and exciting time. Because of that, I want to use both my clinical and real-life education to provide support for those out there that are trying to figure out how to make it in the real world.
In my practice, I love working with this demographic because of the amount of opportunities and possibilities available. I am fortunate to have the unique ability of being able to relate to individuals living in this decade on a real level and provide tangible support and tools. When I am not talking to someone in my office, I love talking to large groups of people, providing presentations at schools, community organizations, and businesses on topics ranging from teens and technology to work-life balance.
Additionally, I am an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology program
I am thrilled to learn more about the readers of The Daily Feels and help each other figure out this crazy and exciting time of life together!