We are still in a pandemic

Who else is feeling tired? Who else is feeling sad? Who else is feeling trapped?

We are a year deep in this pandemic, and it's hitting as hard as ever. This is a reminder that it is normal to have these feelings. We all have them. We are all TIRED of having them. But they are there, and they are valid.

This morning a friend posted in our group chat her feelings of anguish and hopelessness. She said that she was struggling to see the positive when there was no end to the pandemic in sight. She asked us what we were all doing to not feel crazy right now. Each of us answered in our own way, expressing our own feelings of forlorn and the ways we have been focusing our energy. It was comforting to read each response, gaining insight into how each of my best friends is doing. It also helped me to feel less alone.

I am grateful for my best friends, and I am grateful for this community of people who lifts me up. I am grateful that I can feel so safe to express exactly how I feel, and to be met each time with validation that I am not alone. I believe in practicing gratitude, but that doesn't mean burying negative feelings and pretending they are not there. They are there, and sometimes what helps me most is to just lean into them.

How are you feeling? Are you okay?