Checking in
The lyrics of Madonna’s “Hung Up” plays in the background of my mind. “Time goes by, so slowly…”
There are days when time flies by. Then are days that drag like a 3-hour college lecture. “How is it only 2 o’clock,” I’ll wonder.
Some days are filled with grief, stress, sadness, while others are content, peaceful and busy (busy = good pour moi). It’s a tsunami of emotions. Between diagnosed anxiety and hormones based on my cycle, I can usually estimate when I will be on an emotional rollercoaster. Some days/moments, I’ll feel perfectly content. A day/moment later, I’ll plummet into a hole of despair.
How have you been feeling?
If you’ve taken a recent scroll here on Positive Publicity blog dot com, you’ll notice a slew of artist and band interviews (if someone could tell me where this blog has been posted to cause this onslaught of band requests, I’d be most appreciative). Writing has been and continues to be my saving grace. I also have several other posts on the back-burner, and I decided I wanted to document this moment in time to be forever preserved online. Unlike Eliza in Hamilton, I want future historians to know how we reacted (because future historians will refer to lifestyle blogs in their research, as we all know).
In the way all great research is conducted in the modern day, I posed a question on my Instagram story:
“What’s one word to describe how you’ve been feeling lately?”
My reasoning behind asking this question – perhaps I wanted to feel less alone. Perhaps I wanted others to feel less alone, top. Solidarity. Below are the responses I received:
The feelings of being anxious, lonely, and sad were pretty overwhelming. It’s safe to say we’re all going through it, huh? While it’s disheartening to see so many of us are experiencing these negative emotions, it is also a relief. We’re experiencing them together.
So, how have you been doing? How have you been feeling? Honestly. Ask yourself, and I’ll do the same.
My high school friends and I have an ongoing joke about “being gentle” whenever we’re complaining about how we’re coping. Example:
- Friend: “Ugh I ate so much today, I’m so gross.”
- Everyone in unison: “Be gentle on yourself!”
Like clockwork, we are programmed to proclaim “be gentle” on oneself when a negative thought enters our brain. Be gentle.
Comfort.
Where do we find comfort? In books, podcasts, naps, TV (I find Great British Bake Off levels of comfort in RuPaul’s Drag Race), texting, singing, walking, eating, music, cooking, working out, writing, games. I have been leaning into these comforts (making Sunday gravy, while indulging on a glass of red wine, has been a most welcome outlet). Where have you been finding comfort? Virtual therapy has been another comfort for me. I have sung the praises of my therapist several times here, and I am very thankful for her and for the technology that allows us to connect. Speaking of thankful…
Thank you.
Thank you to all of our healthcare providers and essential workers who are keeping us all safe. I don’t think we can ever repay for what you’ve done for an entire society.
I had a tough time trying to tie this post together in a neat, little bow and have it worded together seamlessly. But a few paragraphs up I stated to “be gentle,” so right now I’m going to do just that.
Be well <3 I wish I (or someone much wiser than I) had the right advice to give right now.
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