Take 10 Minutes to Get Started With Combatting COVID Fatigue

Last winter, when we heard about COVID overseas, many of us assumed it would be like other viruses that threatened a US arrival.  There were murmurings of cases here in late February/early March.  And then, in the blink of an eye, our lives changed forever.  At that time, we didn’t know what was in store and many of us thought it would last a few months.  

Locking down, being forced to slow down and spend more time at home with our families was a welcome change for many.  I recall joking with friends on a zoom call that we were all enjoying barbecuing at home, working less, and doing zoom happy hours and game nights.  Novelty, fun, lightness floated in the air.

 However, that lightness turned dark quickly as COVID continued to claim lives and invade our space for even longer.  Fall came and went and then winter hit.  Having lived in the Northeast for most of my life, I have endured many a tough winters.  I don’t like snow or the cold weather, but it never affected my way of life.  I could continue to indoor dine, meet up with friends, go to the movies, and stay social and entertained.  No harm done.

 High tea with my girlfriends and dinner and drinks were always scheduled far in advance and events to look forward to were a big part of my happiness.  And now, almost a year into this pandemic, life’s not so cute anymore.  The recent winter storms scattering ice all over the sidewalk, my vehicle for connection with nature as a part of my mental wellness habit, sabotaged my routine.  I found myself indoors, longing for in-person friend connection, and beside myself.

 This past weekend, I cried and released a lot of the grief I had hitherto not fully processed.  The grief I understood on the surface, but was deep in my soul and finally ready to emerge.  I cried again two days later.  I reached out to my college girlfriends to do a zoom call.  I wanted something to look forward to.  A dear friend reached out to me and we chatted, laughed, and grieved.  I felt so much better.

 Allowing myself to sit with the discomfort of the negative feelings allowed me to process it, suffer less, and eventually let go of it.  The foundation of my resilience rests in my ability to take care of myself but also reach out for help when I need it.  Strangely enough, good friends are receptive to coming to the rescue when you’re having a hard time.  I say strange because I think many of us assume that people are too busy with their own crap and their own lives to have the time to talk to us.  This is a misconception.  If you had a friend in need, would you take a small segment of time out for her?  You probably would.  Similarly, your friends would do the same.  It’s okay for us to lean on each other.  It’s okay for us not to be okay.