A couple months ago I wrote about what I coined “Coronavirus Fatigue”. I described Coronavirus Fatigue as “…a general feeling of numbness, or being overwhelmed and/or anxious, sleeping more than usual or not sleeping well at all, anger, fear, sadness and depression. I also see a general malaise – an uneasiness – of body and mind, and thoughts of ‘this is never going to end’”.
When I wrote this first article in April, I did not expect this virus to be continuing as it is in July. Nor did I ever think our country would be in a state of constant protests and riots and at such odds with each other over the protests/riots and the coronavirus. However, one of the points I made in my original article was how our feelings intensify other issues we’re experiencing. In many ways we were hit with a huge double (maybe triple quadruple, etc.,) whammy and wow, are we feeling it.
So when I saw this meme about where is far, far away, I thought this is perfect because I have said this many times myself and I hear it often from my clients and friends: “I just want to escape to someplace far, far away”. But for most of us, escaping to anyplace is not possible. Many of us, including my husband and me, have had vacation plans cancelled due to the virus. So what do we do now? I have some thoughts to expand on from my original article I wrote in April.
- Find a place nearby to escape. It may be your own backyard oasis. I am fortunate to have a quiet, private, green and lush backyard that I absolutely love. It’s my corner to just think and be. (I’ll post pictures at the end of this post.) If you don’t have this, maybe there is a place in your home that you can make into your place to escape. Add a plant or two, a comfy chair, soft pillows and other things you love. Keep electronics out of this space as the idea is to escape from everything, even for a short period of time each day. Maybe you have a park or hiking trails nearby or a not-so-busy road that you can take a drive on or ride a bike. Even better, find a campsite or a cabin to rent for a weekend or week. The idea is to get out in nature and to feel your heart rate and blood pressure lower as you rest your mind and take a break from the stressors of our world.
- Take a hiatus from all media, even for a day. Turn off the tv, computer, smartphone, Ipad, etc. Give your psyche a break from everything. Read that book that you’ve been meaning to read forever. Have a leisurely lunch with a friend. Open a bottle of wine and share it with someone you love while listening to the birds sing. Hug a furry friend. Just do it without media interruption. We live in a world of constant stimulation and our minds need – crave – a break from this kind of stimulation. As I type this article, there is silence in my home. My mind likes that.
- Exercise to release that which is pent up inside you. Go for a walk, punch a punching bag, ride a bike, take an exercise class…just don’t sit and wallow in your emotions. I started back to working out at my gym as restrictions were lifted some in Colorado. I work out at a small boutique gym and take classes three mornings a week. I cannot express how much this is helping me, both physically and mentally. I feel stronger and I really enjoy being with the people I work out with. My gym represents normalcy for me.
- Know what you can control and let go of that which you cannot. There is so much going on in our communities, state, and country right now, as well as within our own families. The words I hear most often from clients are overwhelmed, angry, and fearful. These are crazy, unpredictable times we are living in and there are no clear-cut answers to many of our fears and questions and when we don’t have answers, we feel overwhelmed and angry. This is why I personally have to let go of things by turning things off. This is what I can control. I can control how I respond to others. I can control my being angry. I can control steps 1-3 above.
- Finally, I think prayer is so important. Those who know me, know I have a deep faith in God. It is because I have this faith that I am able to let go of some things and to put all this in His hands. I’m not trying to convert anyone with this article, but if you believe in God and you aren’t praying for His guidance and intervention during these very trying times, I encourage you to do so. Spirituality is an important step to being resilient in life. We search for meaning and answers to those questions that often seem to not have either, and this is where spirituality – faith – comes in. My faith gives me peace and joy in these uncertain, confusing, and upsetting times.
I wish I could say that the next months will get easier as far as the virus and the political and social unrest we are experiencing. I don’t think they will. But what I do know is that we are a resilient people and we have weathered many a storm in our history and we will weather this one too. Hang in there. And if you do find that far, far away place, enjoy it.
