I am completely over it! All of it!

As many of you know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month and there is no time like the present to really focus on our health and wellness. As mentioned in a previous post, I started seeing a psychologist in October after losing my father. At that time it was the best decision I could have made for my emotional stability. I constantly think every difficult decision we are forced to make is preparing us for a task that is to come at a later date. So when Covid 19 hit close to him I was grateful I already had an outlet in place.

I was a little skeptical about continuing to see my therapist as Covid 19 started to hit closer to home. But I’m glad I decided to keep my weekly appointments. I am starting to understand what people mean when they say, “I am about to lose my mind.” Working from home has started to cause a lot of tension for me. Working from home while completing my master’s degree online and parenting a high school senior has started to take its toll. My biggest concern has been attempting to bring as much normalcy to my son’s new routine as I possibly can. I have also attempted to try to make this experience as pleasant as it would have been had he been participating in senior activities.

Many people have given ideas as to how to maintain your mental health but physical safety has become a bigger priority than our mental well-fare. I go walking every evening and while being outside is refreshing, I get exhausted trying to avoid coming in close contact with other people that are out exercising. I’ve tried watching comedy shows or Law and Order but everything is interrupted with news of Covid 19 and its devastating impact. I’ve read a variety of books, journaled, played card games and had movie nights with the family. At the end of the day, I’m over it. And this is where my therapist serves as an invaluable resource during this trying time.

Yesterday I went to see my therapist and for the first ten minutes all I said was, “I’m over it.” I would mention something that happened and then go back to, “I’m over it.” The longer I sat there, the more I felt myself falling into a sunken place. And it was at that point my therapist began to steer me to talking about all kinds of randomness which eventually led me to a place of joy. I walked into the office haggard and exhausted and was able to leave feeling anchored. How are you coping with feelings of anxiousness? How are you dealing with the stipulations placed on your life due to Covid 19? Are you really focused on your mental health? Encourage someone today, we are all in need of some inspiration.

There’s hope!