3 Ways to Battle Pandemic Funk
A lot of us, pre-Big-Bug, were busy creatures, always out and about — visiting, working, vacationing, running errands. We got out of the house and into the world.
Now?
In a lot of places, between the weather, COVID surges and inflation that puts our old lives out of reach, we can stare at the walls and think “I have GOT to find something to keep from going stir-crazy…”
Oh, my friends, I so hear that. Me, too — I used to be out in the world with a rocket pack on my back. I did 45 weekends a year on the road. My nickname was “The Travel Channel.” And that’s receding in the rear-view mirror.
So what do I do when I’m going a little stir crazy? I invent. And today I invented the Pandemic Wind Downs: things you can do that don’t require money, or travel, or anything more than paying a little extra attention to yourself and your environs.
Write Yourself a Letter Day
Lots of people do Christmas letters — tucked inside the holiday card, it shares what the year has been like, what they’ve done, the milestones they’ve accomplished, the life changes that have arrived to be dealt with. It’s a way we connect with people we care about but don’t talk with very often.
Today, write yourself one of those kinds of letters.
But not a litany of what’s gone wrong; make it a paean to what went right. And it doesn’t have to be about a year in particular — you can write the letter you would to a long-lost friend who’s back in your life.
We’ve all see those memes about “what would you tell your six-year-old self.” This is your chance to do it. Whether it’s your six, or sixteen or thirty six-year-old self who needs to know how brave and strong and funny and creative and resilient you are — whether it’s news about babies or bachelor’s degrees or simply finding yourself older than you ever expected — write the letter.
Give yourself credit for getting through defeats, for changing your mind instead of being stubborn when circumstances called for it, for saying yes when you meant it and no when you meant it and surprising everyone who thought you couldn’t do something.
Let your past self know how your current self is doing, and take pride in every accomplishment that says, “I’ve lived, and done my best, and I’m truly, honestly okay.”
You’re Allowed To Fail Day
Today do something completely outrageous and fail magnificently if you need to!
Our whole work lives are spent “not failing” — not disappointing a boss, a client, our own expectations of ourselves. We spend the rest of our time making sure we’re not disappointing children, spouses, family members, friends. We spend too much damned time on perfection!
As a result, we don’t try anything new because we‘ve forgotten that failure is only a rerouted opportunity.
Find something you‘ve always wanted to try: decoupage, belly dancing, gymnastics, French cooking, algebra.
Spend a generous amount of time this weekend with an instruction book, a simple project kit, or a YouTube video for beginners.
You may not get everything the first time out. It may even be difficult. But there’s no reason not to keep trying.
Trying, failing and trying again reminds us that there is always room for change, always room for getting better, and always room for something to NOT MATTER so much that failure is a cudgel to beat ourselves with, rather than just a chance to reboot and play until we’re content.
No Electronics Day
Yes, I know, this is a toughie. But give it a shot.
Make it a point to say “no” to social media, computer nonsense, or being glued to your Smartphone (and that includes answering it). You will be amazed at the siren calls they make, but stay strong! If you can do it, even avoid the television or radio.
This is a way to reconnect with who you are, where you are and what is around you.
A study by psychologists at Iowa State University found that kids who exceeded the recommended two hours per day of screen time were two times more likely to have attention problems in the classroom.
And it’s not just kids — the more electronically plugged-in we are, the more our brainwaves change and the harder it is for our attention spans to remain focused.
Today, listen to music, but make it of your own choosing. Work on a project and leave the world to handle its own electronic buzz. How much more relaxed do you feel at the end of your day? What has changed with granting yourself permission to be unplugged?
Wow. Some amazing ideas, no? Writing a letter, trying and failing without worrying about it, finding joy in the lack of ping-buzz-ring-beep? Outrageous! Inconceivable!
But it might be exactly what you need to get out of the Big Bug Funk. Give it a go — and be ready to be surprised.
