The rug was just pulled from underneath you, and in the blink of an eye, you've started going in a downward spiral. You were just living your best life--or at least sustaining and maintaining. You had a job to go to and was able to provide for yourself and your family. You had great friends to go to brunches and dinners with and date nights with your partner. You were traveling whenever possible and having fun outings on the weekends. Simply put, you were enjoying life... you were making it, but today... today you sit at home and your thoughts and situation are borderline depressing. You've fallen into a slump, and you're hoping and praying for things to return to the way they were before, all because you’ve been forced to “stay still” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. You're now unhappy at home.
One thing I've noticed is that a lot of people have to be on-the-go and constantly moving in order to be happy. They may not have realized it before, but clubbing several nights a week, shopping every weekend, spending unnecessary money (or money they may not really have) are done because they really don't like being home. Maybe they don't really enjoy being 'stuck' in the house with their kids, or they find their spouses boring and use other things such as outings for entertainment rather than creating the entertainment with each other, OR, when they are home, they are forced to sit with themselves and their not-so-positive thoughts and find some way to escape them. Now, however, the coronavirus has put a stop to all of that and has forced everyone to sit still... at home. It sounds terrible, but maybe... it could be a blessing in disguise for many, here's how.
You and BEEN wanting to do this for awhile, but there was no time. Afterall, you can't just drop work and start a podcast full-time because the bills have to be paid. Well, now you can set that in motion, even if it's writing down your ideas during this downtime (checkout anchor.fm if you're ready to get your podcast started). You've been wanting to start a blog, lose those last stubborn pounds, learn how to play an instrument, create those beats, even spend more time with your spouse or kids. That business that you don't know how to get off the ground? Well, now you can begin drafting the plan for it. How about that accounting class you've been wanting to take? Or the book or song you have no time to finish writing and the YouTube channel that you know you'd make a great impact with? What I am trying to say is working remotely/being out of work can become a time where you can be extremely productive and/or creative. Something so positive could possibly bloom from this. You just have to take advantage of the seed, plant it, and and watch it grow (manifest).
That's all good and well, but what about the people who are going through it mentally? Well. The quiet is a time where deep thinking is done and thoughts of depression can become exacerbated, but are you being mindful of the type of thoughts you are having? "I hate the situation I am in!," is what you may be thinking, however, now you can start learning how to train your thoughts and combat that type of thinking. "WHY am I unhappy, and what can I do to CHANGE that?'" is better than the former thought. Everything that happens to us in life is done for character development and a chance to learn a lesson and grow from it. Maybe the people around you are contributing to your life in a negative way, and you've realized that it's time to do some "spring cleaning." During this time, listen to yourself and determine your typical character traits (pessimistic, someone who constantly worries, unambitious etc.) and begin positive journaling. Write down positive affirmations on your bathroom mirror. Write on sticky notes and put them on the fridge or around the house, and say them aloud. We know the tongue is so powerful. Use this time to speak another way of thinking into existence. It can't hurt, so why not give it a try?
Some other things to try is giving YOURSELF some serious love and self-care! Before, you were always rushing; you always had somewhere to be, and free moments were limited. Well, now they’re not. Take advantage of them. Take a bath. Give yourself a facial, cucumbers and all. Read a book. Give your feet a slow massage with lotion. Get some vitamin D and tan in the backyard or on the patio. Light some candles or sage, and have a glass of wine. Meditate, do yoga, or dance the seratonin back into your brain. If you need some social distancing yet more fun things to do, there's family game nights, FaceTime with family and friends (one of my favorites) or engage in Facebook and Instagram live sessions. I've seen people hold concerts on live, give cooking lessons on live, and hold exercising sessions. When you think about it, the options are endless!
With all that being said, I am aware that there are people who may need a little more support, or they really could use someone to talk to. If that is you, a couple of options could be emailing your therapist (or researching to find one), or having a telepsychiatry session with a psychiatrist. This type of mental healthcare is a form of live and interactive communication where individuals can receive convenient and readily-accessible individual or group therapy and the ability to "open up" to someone during this trying time. (If you didn't know this was even a thing, you are not alone, lol. I am only aware of it because one of my good friends performs this type of work). If you are interested in this type of assistance, the first step you need to take would be to contact psych offices that your insurance covers and ask if they are taking video appointments at this time.
I hope there is something that each and every one of my readers can take away from this. If you’ve found yourself to be unhappy at the place where you have to lay your head every day, do some unpacking to find out why, then turn it into a place you actually enjoy being. Don't let the place you rest your head be a place you hate opening the door to. Don't let this pandemic get the best of you; make the choice to defeat it.
Written with love,
S. S.