Hey you,
Yeah you. You who's done everything that has been asked of you. You who wears your mask, who has every vaccine, who has navigated raising and schooling children while also working. You who stayed home, who navigated and continues to navigate all the changes at work, who keeps up to date with news to keep our communities safe, who longs to be with others in a free and worry free way. Yeah, you. Thank you. Thank you for caring about the impact you have on the world around you. If you are a part of the healthcare system, thank you is not enough.
As Omicron begins to bear down on our communities. You’re right that it is not fair that we are still dealing with this. You’re right that it is scary. And here we are, staring down the face of more lockdowns, more separation, more of our precious time spent on CoVid, more disease and death. Here is my hope for you. Allow this pain to move through you. Acknowledge what feelings are here now and know in your heart of hearts that you are not alone. As large parts of our communities refuse to do their part to move forward safely, allow that anger to pass through you. Know that your anger and pain are completely human. Acknowledge the anger and the pain and the longing it brings, and then let it go. When you hold onto the anger and fear and let it bubble, simmer, and fester, does it change the state of our existence? No. I know first hand. That anger and pain and fear distance me from what I love, keep me up at night, and take the very best parts of me from tomorrow. Fatigue zaps the very things from my being that would help me navigate these days, my creativity, flexibility, and groundedness. The anger and fear is a reminder of just how much I love being alive. Knowing that my love of life is behind that fear and anger gives me the space I need to breathe.
Be gentle with yourself as every bit of you screams to be productive. This may not be the time to be productive or productive on the pre-covid scale of productivity. Be gentle as every bit of you demands you get on track with your purpose. We are fluid beings and to have our purposes in the world shift and feel nebulous as the world shifts and feels nebulous, makes sense. Be gentle with yourself as every bit of you screams to feel normal. You know this and I know this and sometimes it is hard to remember, right now is not normal. We are moving toward new and different normals. Change is uncomfortable. Finding new ways of existing is uncomfortable.
In many ways we are told, “Change the world! Make a huge impact! Make something meaningful from our lives!” Especially right now, that is a ton of baggage to carry around. By simply existing you change the world, so enough of that worrying. My hope for you as we enter this next phase of CoVid is to get intentional about what fuels you. We are all going to need more fuel to navigate the arriving CoVid phase. What makes you feel alive and good? Yes, even in the current circumstances. You may need to listen to yourself harder than you’ve ever listened before. Listen for the small things that allow you to take a full breath, for those tiny smiles, and moments of pleasure. What helps you relax? Change your body, change your mind. Starting to feel the oppressive weight of the world push you deeper and deeper into the couch? Put that damn phone down and stand up. Maybe that is all you need to shift. Do a stretch, get a glass of water, maybe go for a walk, anything to not squash yourself into anguish. Don’t believe me? I dare you to try. Try anything. Nothing about the world changes as you anguish, everything about your experience of the world changes when you try to do something, anything differently.
This is what the process looks like for me… usually… sometimes I totally choose anguishing on the couch.
I’m doom scrolling on the couch. My anxiety is picking up and hope is dwindling fast.
I usually think something like “This is so fucked. The world is hopeless.” Big red flag that reminds me I need to do something different for my well being.
I set the phone down, and stand up.
Now I’m up and looking around my space and ask okay, “now what?”
Something finds my intrigue. Perhaps it is a chore I’ve neglected, a book I’ve read only part of, my record player, the sketch book, my hiking boots, a window, one of the many projects I’ve started but not finished, my cats, my dog, or the soft squishy rug.
I listen for the smallest little “yes” that often feels like a lightness in my shoulders and a tiny tug at my heart.
Then I move toward whatever that thing is. If it’s the squishy rug I might stretch or just lie down on it and breathe for a bit. Sometimes cleaning really does the trick or just listening to my favorite album. One of my dearest friends and colleagues calls these calm safe places “refuges.” Make a refuge.
If you have kids or are in any kind of care taking role, I know it can be so hard to do anything for yourself. A trick I use in these moments is to get them involved. My kiddo is 3yrs old so self entertainment can be a real challenge. My kiddo and I might go for a walk to collect leaves or do airplanes on that squishy rug or dance to their favorite album in the living room. If you can’t leave ‘em, invite and engage them.
Bottomline: Omicron is demanding more of our resilience, we get to feel the hard feelings, they often point to the things we care about, and the greatest gift we can give ourselves is a break from the doom and gloom. We have two years of practice. We can do this.
Hang in there you magnificent beings.
Sincerely,
Torin