These are challenging times for sure. We are all seeing and doing things we never thought 6 months ago we would be doing. But how do we balance our physical safety with our mental safety? I think this is an ongoing question with some simple yet effective answers.
Physical safety is important. Please take this pandemic seriously. It is real and it is causing real physical harm and in some cases death to real people around the world. Wear a mask when out in public. Only go out of the house when necessary and try to group errands together to eliminate extra trips. Hugs have to be put on hold for now (and I am a hugger so this is really hard). Keep vigilant that what you do not only affects you but others as well.
But while staying away from others makes sense physically, it can do real damage to us mentally. We are social creatures. And the ultimate irony of this situation is that when we need to be together with family and friends during this scary time, it is exactly the time when we need to stay away from each other. So it is important that we gauge our mental health. If you are feeling the sadness pulling at you or you just lost some pep in your step, reach out. Facetime/video call some of your favorite people. Maybe reach out and call someone that you haven't talked to in a while. Go outside and let the sun warm your face. Go for a walk around the block. Whatever it is, just find a way to acknowledge that it is ok to need a break. It is ok to reach out to others when our world is feeling very small.
Most of all, just take a deep breath and repeat this thought, "I am so worth it!"
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