It’s STILL a pandemic?
Hey Sunflowers,
I hope this email finds you much better than me. Cause Chile, I am stressed. Y’all…its a pandemic. I know we’ve been living this pandemic life for almost 11 months now but sometimes it just smacks me in the face. It’s really a whole pandemic that has uprooted our lives and killed thousands of people. Even more than it being a pandemic, there is no sight of it letting up anytime soon.
This entire week I’ve just been feeling discouraged and I can’t place where this feeling is coming from. It’s not sadness or irritation or even frustration, because I’ve known each of those feelings all too well in the pandemic. The feeling is literally… discouraged.
I am discouraged from school, life, even my relationship. I can’t track the exact moment I began feeling like this but it’s been looming and I am sure other people have felt it as well.
These are three things that have aided in my pandemic funk. I hope you find them helpful as well.
Do a puzzle
Ok, before the pandemic, doing a puzzle felt like the wackest activity in the world. A puzzle seemed like a nursing home activity to me but this has really helped me. Mostly because it’s a very mindless activity. Although you are completely a task, you are distracting yourself from everything going on in your head, which is very helpful.
2. Get sunlight daily
Getting sunlight in the winter time is hard for many many reasons. The sun isn’t even out for that long during the day. Not to mention, how cold it is outside. (20 degrees in Detroit to be exact.) I have found a couple creative ways to get some sunlight. The easiest way is to go sit in front of a window. Again, this feels like a nurse home activity but I promise you the sunlight is recharging. My next suggestion is getting in the car. Just feeling the sun on your face through the front windshield is amazing. Maybe even turn on your favorite song and just vibe out.
3. Change your scenery
This is a little harder to accomplish because it requires financial resources and life flexibility. I do not want to assume any reader has $300 laying around to go take a trip for no reason in a pandemic. But, I do recommend you find ways to invest in your mental well-being. Change of scenery does not mean fly to Aspen or Tulum. It can just mean getting in the car and driving to Chicago or Cleveland. Or maybe even booking a hotel room in your city and having a staycation. Whatever you can do, try to do it.
These three tips are just a few ways I have tried to get out of feeling discouraged. I hope they help you as well.
forever blooming,
Mikaela Amira
