Pandemic Check In

It’s been well over a year now that all of our lives have changed

That the world has changed and seems further away than ever from things getting back to normal. It’s been a hard year for us all.

Here in Canada, things have gone from bad to worse with the variants. Fuelled by continued air travel, a lack of vaccines, a lack of distribution of vaccines, a lack of information, and a sense that pandemic rules only apply to certain people.

A second birthday in our lockdown and now we are cycling through more holidays. They have the Easter bunny even wearing a mask now. Maybe they are afraid of a bunny born variant?

I just wanted to share with everyone that I am struggling with the mental health aspects of feeling isolated, a fear that things are heading in the wrong direction, and I am very worried about those who will die and suffer. And not just from covid, but also from delayed medical procedures and mental health issues.

And like many others, imaginary lines have separated our family from those we love and we are starting to wonder if we will ever see them again. But we soldier on, hoping for that magical time to arrive, hoping that the families and friends we miss so much will be okay. Hoping you are okay too!

Here are a few tips that I have found helpful in dealing with the ‘third wave’Limiting my news consumption.

I am finding that there is so much fake news out there, that the situation is constantly evolving, and that there is so much arguing and hate for different opinions on social media. It’s good to unplug from that.

Keep moving.

It feels hard to keep the inertia of life up when it feels like life is on hold. It’s easy to pull a Peg Bundy and sit on the couch and eat bonbons, but it’s much better to get outside. Be in nature. Walk, hike. If you can’t get outside there is always youtube. Yoga and working out have consistently helped my mood, as much as sometimes I don’t want to do anything.

Keep dreaming.

Don’t forget that the best way to keep hope alive is to keep your dreams alive. Some things may have to be on hold for a while longer, but keep working on the parts that you can.

Doing pottery/making art

Putting energy into creating rather than consuming has helped me to keep moving forward.

Reach out in whatever way you can.

To friends, to family, to those who are struggling. We may not be able to solve the pandemic individually, but if we all reach out to people we can make it a little more bearable. And that’s what it’s all about, small actions that will hopefully add up, keeping the essential part of humanity, for at heart people are meant to be together.

Stay safe and be careful everyone! Do what you need to protect yourself and each other.

How are you doing during
this phase of the pandemic?

Please share any tips you might have for getting through this in the comments below.

And if you need a little good news …

We’ve reached our newsletter subscriber goal to add a vase to our prize package!

So if you want to win a free raku vase, a mug, and even more pottery pieces, sign up today! The more people who sign up, the more prizes I will add for our draw at the end of the year!