Hey ya'll. I know you probably have been wonder where I have been (or not lol), so I figured it was time for an update. We all know that 2020 has been a _________ year (you can fill in the blank). This has been a year like nothing we have ever experienced before. It has had its ups, its downs and gone all around. It has been a roller coaster to say the least.
I had really good intentions of making this blog a regular thing when I first start the Heart to Heal. I wanted this to be my opportunity to share what's inside the mind of this counselor in hopes that it would help your own journey and understanding of mental health in some way. What really happened was LIFE. So in the midst of launching The Heart to Heal, I was also working crazy overtime as my job worked to manage its Covid cases. Now, I don't get overtime at work unless its a state of emergency so I had to take advantage, because I probably won't see overtime like I did until the next pandemic. But honestly, being at work was my connection to others. Since I live alone and work in a highly susceptible environment, even if I could have been around other people I probably wouldn't have.
So overtime slowed down around the start of the summer, just as outside was opening up a little. After being cooped up for so long, I really just wanted to focus on enjoying life and the things that I, and maybe others, took for granted. And then I got a temporary roommate (Hey Dom!!) which was cool for the summer. It was nice to have someone else around. We even got to play outside a little, ,which lead to some adventures and funny stories. Again, in the back of my mind I knew I "should" have been devoting a little more time to my cause but, hey.
Then at the end of the summer Dom leaves and head to Chicago to visit. It took some time to get adjusted to not having a roommate. I enjoyed Chicago, it was very much needed. Let me say, I wasn't impressed with the pizza, the hot dogs were good, the views were amazing and kayaking isn't so bad. The Chicago tv franchise is one of my favorites and I was hoping to run into Officer Atwater in real life. While I didn't see him on this trip, the Chicago PD officers I did meet weren't too shabby lol.
Just when I ready to get focused depression happened. I was back to being home alone again, I got passed over for a job a really wanted, I felt like I was being micromanaged at my job, and then the seasons changed. I went through a few weeks of feeling uninterested, unmotivated and just blah. I typically struggle during the late fall/winter months but this time felt different and I am sure "social distancing" had a lot to do with it. Long story short, after buying a bunch of house plants (17 to be exact), completing some DIY projects, getting a personal trainer, and going to therapy consistently, I AM BACK!!!! (I will talk more about this on another day).
While everyone's experience during this pandemic has been different, I think it is safe to saw we have probably all been through a range of emotions, good days, not so good days, wins, losses and everything in between. It would be easy to write this year off as a loss but I would challenge you to not to do that just yet. As the year comes to a close lets work on trying to reframe our thoughts about 2020. Whether it was a new hobby, reconnecting with an old friend, or just appreciating the little things in life, I want us to end this year on a positive note. So tell me what are you grateful for this year?
*Bonus Thought*
Comments