I have not posted in quite a while. Like you I am getting used to whatever this new “normal” is.

One of the topics I hear the most about from people is how hard it still is. The problem is that most people feel like it shouldn’t still be hard. There is a culture in the US that does not allow us time to grieve but instead tells us to just pull up our bootstraps and move on. There is a vaccine now. Everything is okay. Move on regardless of whatever grief, loss, sadness, anger, or other feelings you have. This is the American Way!

It is so unfortunate because for the last year and a half (and for some of us back to January 2017) we have been going through  multiple traumas. But there has not been an acknowledgment of that fact. People feel a bit crazy if they are still struggling. Or maybe they are on the feelings roller coaster. One day is fine and the next day feels topsy-turvey.

The information we are getting seems like it changes every day. Is it safe to go indoors without a mask? Can vaccinated people get the virus and spread it? One day we hear yes and no and a few weeks later it is probably not and probably yes. Again it is enough to make you feel crazy. The risk assessment you did in May has probably changed in July.

So how do you manage this all? The first thing is you do the best you can every day. And you understand that some days your best may not be as good as you want it to be. Secondly, you keep up on your self-care your walks or bike rides or Friday night zooms with your friends. It’s harder to schedule things now because people are doing things but keep it going! If you have to return to an office it may be harder to keep up the self-care but I strongly encourage you to try and find a way to do it. Thirdly talk about it. A real issue is that many of us feel crazy in our heads but if we talk to others we find out many experiences are the same. Feeling like it is not just you having these feelings is a great way to reduce any feelings of isolation. Of course, if it all feels like too much I would encourage you to find a therapist.

Take care of yourselves and your families.