Midweek Musings
I wasn't feeling particularly creative today, either in the fashion or art department. Instead I spent most of the day going through my travel photos, trying to pick my favorite photos from each location to turn into photo books. You know, for people to look through when we're all allowed to be together again!
Very few, if any of us, would have ever thought we'd have to live through something like this. I feel like I'm in the movie Contagion just waiting to hear 'Cut!' But for now, this is real life. One of the hardest things for me is that feeling of being cut off from people. You can have social distancing coffee dates and Skype sessions, but sometimes you want the reassurance of a friendly hug. The comfort of flopping down on the couch with a friend for a movie night or to share funny stories or frustrations from the week.
Looking back through my travel photos today was a reminder that those people are still there, they are still present in my life. We might not be able to hang out in the same way we could only a few months ago, but that doesn't mean those relationships and the support are gone. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are nothing new to many of us right now. We also have the fear of how different our futures will look. Fears of whether we will have jobs to go back to or if we'll have to search for something new.
Those kinds of fears have been a huge trigger for my anxiety this last month but thankfully, with the support of my doctors, family and friends, I'm doing better. The presence of support and encouragement in your life doesn't mean that you won't struggle. It doesn't mean that you'll no longer have days where it takes more energy than you possess to even smile or attempt to carry on a conversation. I know it can be a challenge to know how to reach out to people sometimes. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, sometimes it really is enough just to know that someone cares enough to reach out and to check in on me, to ask me how I am, to tell me they're there in whatever way I need them to be. They don't need to fix the problem for me, I just need to know they're there.
Everyone needs to have an outlet. An outlet where we don't feel the need to explain it away or to pretend that everything's ok. Whether that outlet be a hobby, a place, or a person, it's so important that we all have one. It's 100% ok if you feel like you need to break down and not be ok for awhile. Those moments can be scary and intimidating. But if you can make it through the worst of it, what's waiting for you on the other end can only be better. Something I need to keep myself reminding of.
Relationships play such a huge role in our lives. Whether they're friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships, etc, our entire lives are made of up of them. Sometimes they're complicated, sometimes there is nothing easier. Sometimes they make us feel strong and other times they can make us feel weak. Sometimes we love how they influence and add to our lives and sometimes we hate how they can drag they us down and how much they're capable of hurting us.
But when it comes down to it, people need people. And now more so than ever. People are scared, confused, hopeful, excited...every range of emotion is on full display. For some these times bring nothing but uncertainty and for others it brings the promises of exciting new changes and opportunities. Not everyone's experience is equal. And if we can all remember that and reach out as we are able, we can all get through this together.
So here's to you and yours, we got this.
Ciao!
Very few, if any of us, would have ever thought we'd have to live through something like this. I feel like I'm in the movie Contagion just waiting to hear 'Cut!' But for now, this is real life. One of the hardest things for me is that feeling of being cut off from people. You can have social distancing coffee dates and Skype sessions, but sometimes you want the reassurance of a friendly hug. The comfort of flopping down on the couch with a friend for a movie night or to share funny stories or frustrations from the week.
Looking back through my travel photos today was a reminder that those people are still there, they are still present in my life. We might not be able to hang out in the same way we could only a few months ago, but that doesn't mean those relationships and the support are gone. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are nothing new to many of us right now. We also have the fear of how different our futures will look. Fears of whether we will have jobs to go back to or if we'll have to search for something new.
Those kinds of fears have been a huge trigger for my anxiety this last month but thankfully, with the support of my doctors, family and friends, I'm doing better. The presence of support and encouragement in your life doesn't mean that you won't struggle. It doesn't mean that you'll no longer have days where it takes more energy than you possess to even smile or attempt to carry on a conversation. I know it can be a challenge to know how to reach out to people sometimes. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, sometimes it really is enough just to know that someone cares enough to reach out and to check in on me, to ask me how I am, to tell me they're there in whatever way I need them to be. They don't need to fix the problem for me, I just need to know they're there.
Everyone needs to have an outlet. An outlet where we don't feel the need to explain it away or to pretend that everything's ok. Whether that outlet be a hobby, a place, or a person, it's so important that we all have one. It's 100% ok if you feel like you need to break down and not be ok for awhile. Those moments can be scary and intimidating. But if you can make it through the worst of it, what's waiting for you on the other end can only be better. Something I need to keep myself reminding of.
Relationships play such a huge role in our lives. Whether they're friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships, etc, our entire lives are made of up of them. Sometimes they're complicated, sometimes there is nothing easier. Sometimes they make us feel strong and other times they can make us feel weak. Sometimes we love how they influence and add to our lives and sometimes we hate how they can drag they us down and how much they're capable of hurting us.
But when it comes down to it, people need people. And now more so than ever. People are scared, confused, hopeful, excited...every range of emotion is on full display. For some these times bring nothing but uncertainty and for others it brings the promises of exciting new changes and opportunities. Not everyone's experience is equal. And if we can all remember that and reach out as we are able, we can all get through this together.
So here's to you and yours, we got this.
Ciao!
Comments
Post a Comment