NAVIGATING COVID-19 ONE YEAR LATER; A MESSAGE OF HOPE

Panic. Depression. Uncertainty. Anxiety. Sadness. It feels like our emotions have been on one long roller-coaster ride in the past one year in the COVID-19 environment. Everything that defines us has taken a major hit and shift – our finances, physical health, social relations, work, families.

This period has stretched us to the core. All of us. It’s been an exhausting and demanding time; we’ve tried to make sense of what’s going on while still gathering all the strength we have to stay afloat.

We didn’t see this coming. Any of it. Maybe we could have prepared better if we did but the thing about a crisis is that it comes like a thief in the night. Combine the pandemic with political unrest, racial injustices, job losses, public lynching, police brutality, and deaths from COVID-19; it has been a weighty and tough year. We’ve endured so much trauma and had it triggered by ongoing events.

It’s okay if you’ve felt hopeless at some point. Or like there isn’t much to rejoice about. I know for sure that your mental health hasn’t been at its best and that’s completely understandable when you’ve dealt with so much.

This piece of writing is to remind you of your magic in a time when it may feel like you aren’t. A message of hope for you to keep hanging in there. A sweet reminder that you are still here with a purpose. As you continue to find your way in the new normal, please remember the following;

• You’ve been doing the best you can. Let go of the pressure that you should have had it all figured out by now especially the dynamics of living in a pandemic. We’re all learning as we go. There’s no manual to doing this thing. It doesn’t matter if you’ve not learned a new language or skill so far. You’ve been on survival mode trying not to catch the virus or get re-infected so give yourself the grace you need right now.
• You can only go up from rock bottom. Not everything was lost in the fire; you still have you. You can only go up from here no matter how bad it looks right now. Rock bottom is not your permanent residence; there’s so much more that’s waiting for you on the other side of the little faith you have left. Pick every lesson you’ve learned and commit to doing better.
• Your life matters one day at a time. Focus on getting through this day. Just this day. Worrying too much about the future will only add to your stress. Did you give it your best today? Did you accomplish what you set out to do today? Did you smile today? Were you proud of yourself today? Tackle each day as it comes; with all its troubles and victories.
• Your glass is half full. There may be a lot to frown upon but there will always be something to smile about. Look for your joy in the simplest of things; how the wind feels on your skin, how beautiful a day is, how your partner makes you feel loved, completing a task, pulling yourself out of a rut, a gift, your family. Your glass of life is half full with so much to be thankful for; just look around you.
• You need to ask and keep asking for help. There’s no shame in admitting that you need help with anything and everything. Ask your family, friends, and your therapist for help. Talk to them about your struggles. Don’t ever feel like you need to climb a mountain alone. You are so loved. Needed. Wanted. And there’s absolutely nothing that should ever make you feel like you are fighting alone.