I have talked to several students and adults this week, and I am hearing a common theme: “It’s getting harder to stay positive.”
We are well into the quarantine and anything that was new about this whole thing has long faded and now we are just trying to persist until life can return to some sense of normalcy. I am sensing that people are really trying to make the best of things, but it is exhausting. At some point there is only so much positivity that we muster before we just crash into a sea of negative thoughts and emotions.
Then I came across a meme. You gotta love memes. Little bits of humor and wisdom and sarcasm, summed up in a picture and a few words. This meme, however, reminded me that there is a balance that I need to attempt to achieve between being positive and allowing myself to be negative sometimes. Because, let's be honest, this situation just plain sucks. So, I share with you the wisdom found in this meme:
Yes... And
YES, we can feel grateful... AND disappointed about things being cancelled
YES, we can enjoy time with loved ones... AND feel overwhelmed by their presence
YES, we can be hopeful... AND feel like everything is falling apart
YES, we can be a source of support for others... AND prioritize our own needs.
You could probably come up with many more YES...ANDs to fit your own life, and I encourage you to do so. Work to achieve a balance. If you have the energy to be super productive today, then be super productive today. But, if tomorrow you need to have a bit of a pity party about how much life just stinks right now, then party on. Finding a balance and being genuine with yourself and your loved ones about how you are doing is one of the best things you can do to stay well.
