Stuck: The Mental Toll of a Pandemic
stuck
(past participle) to be or remain in a specified place or situation, typically one perceived as tedious or unpleasant.
This is the feeling I, and I know many others, have had throughout the pandemic. Hyper focused on the negative, we feel unsatisfied with our current situation. We long for our life to revert back to how it was pre-pandemic.
For many people, everyday has begun to feel the same. This cycle that appears to have no end in sight makes us prone to becoming trapped in a pessimistic mindset. Extended amounts of alone time can cause your thoughts to spiral, overthinking your own life. You may be feeling easily distracted, that you aren’t accomplishing enough, unhappy with how you look or feel...the list goes on.
These feelings are only exacerbated by social media. We’ve always known this to be the case (phrases like “Instagram is just a highlight reel” come to mind), yet something about the pandemic tends to make us forget this. Less in-person interactions cause even our close friends' lives to begin to look perfect through the lens of social media. We get caught up in a comparison game that only ends up making us feel worse about our current situation.
These are all completely valid feelings. We are living through a traumatic and draining experience. It is important to remind ourselves that ultimately, we are doing the best we can, and that is more than good enough.
Should you find yourself feeling particularly overwhelmed, I’ve compiled a list of activities that personally help me to cope when I’m feeling stuck:
Have a good old fashioned spa day moment. I’m talking face masks, manicures, long baths...you get the picture.
Put on a fun outfit and have a photoshoot. Guaranteed to make you feel hella confident.
Paint something. I've found this to be one of the most relaxing activities.
Stretch and/or meditate. Will help get you out of a mental funk and make you feel more in touch with your body.
Make a cake. Time to test out those minimalist cake designs you've been eyeing. This recipe is my personal favorite: Best Yellow Cake Recipe - Handle the Heat
Take a nap. Groundbreaking, I know. But sometimes sleep is the best answer.
Reconnect with someone you haven't talked to in a while. Brightening someone else’s day can often be the best way to brighten your own.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
This has been a mentally exhausting period of life for all of us.
Take a minute.
Breathe.
And know you are enough.
Strike Out,
Writer: Becca Morency
Nashville
