While eating breakfast recently, I scowled at my husband for no reason and was thinking, “Please stop talking to me.”

I woke up in this bad place. I was just off. That’s been happening occasionally these days.

I knew I had to get back in the bed. So I did. I turned out the lights and allowed myself to lay there for an hour or so in this funk.

I realize you may not have the liberty of immediately wallowing. I talk more below about how to can handle what you may be experiencing during this pandemic. 

I also wanted you to know you’re not alone if you haven’t been feeling like yourself lately. It’s OK to not be OK. 

How can we remain the same when so much continues to change around us?

I’ve heard several stories about grocery-store shopping breakdowns. Like shaking, getting in the car and bawling breakdowns. 

Or moments of panic for doing something we wouldn’t have normally thought twice about – like going outside.

You’re not abnormal for feeling: anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, frightened, or anything else.

Eighty-two percent of individuals feel the pandemic has had a bigger negative impact on their stress than any other event in history based on a Thrive Global survey on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that included more than 8,000 Americans within the past month.

As we acknowledge May as Mental Health Awareness Month, I encourage you to sit with your emotions and to process them. 

“Keeping it moving” can be detrimental to your well-being.  

We can keep things bottled inside, which can cause internal manifestations.

Taking care of our “outside selves” – hair, nails, skin – is cool, but don’t forget about your inside.

Observe those emotions and how you’re experiencing all that’s going on and the impacts of your situations.

Your productivity could be stalled occasionally, eating habits may have changed, sleeping may be disrupted, moodiness may be increased, or your patience levels may be decreasing.

Feel what you’re feeling.

Here’s some dos and don’ts on how to acknowledge what’s going on internally:

Do:

• Give yourself grace.
• Show yourself as much compassion as you would show a good friend or loved one.
• Allow yourself to cry in any situation for as long as necessary.
• Share with someone who can provide a safe place.
• Express your feelings by writing them down.
• Embrace your humanness.
• Lean on others for support.
• Maintain new “corona” rituals, habits or routines that are comforting despite what others think.
• Discover what positively feeds your soul and do it.

Don’t:

• Dismiss your feelings or discourage yourself from having them.
• Beat yourself up if you’re having a hard time or have moments of frustration.
• Rush your experience of how you’re processing things (or not processing).
• Compare yourself to how others may be handling this pandemic.
• Inundate yourself with negativity; whatever that looks like for you.

Breathe. Cut yourself some slack. You’re normal. The struggle is real and different for all of us. Allow it to be what it is for you personally.