The whole purpose behind starting this blog was to essentially provide a tiny little safe space for the reader amidst “trying times.” We are almost a full calendar year from the beginning of COVID in the United States. I have seen several people who I know decently through social media describe an inescapable exhaustion wall.
I’m calling it the COVID wall.
You may have had it..or you may end up feeling it, the COVID wall. A Hopeless wave of wanting to give up caring so much. Why bother?
The kind of wall where you sort of just writhe around, beauty and the beasting from place to place in your house, just snarling at the person on your shoulder. I’ve felt it myself and it seems to be hitting society like a wave, at least the people who haven’t given up yet.
People that probably haven’t given up yet, mentally and emotionally. The types of people that work through the pandemic, despite risk. The types of people who despite many other people’s fears, kept showing up and walking the walk. These are the people I’m seeing get hit by the wave, or the wall. I felt like I saw enough people with the same sea of confusion, so I figured I would share, as I seem to have felt it around last week, and feel a lot better this week.
Here are a few tips for digging out of the gutter of the COVID WALL OF EXHAUSTION.
1. Listen to New* Music
One way to find yourself and/or get lost is to find new music. You can use whatever you want, but search it out. Seek out new sounds. Music that makes you feel. Music that allows you to be yourself for a few minutes. Not music you have heard before, but NEW music. Sounds your brain hasn’t processed before. You have probably “used” music in a way before, or at least felt an emotional response to an old song. Music takes you right where you need to go mentally.
2. Write Down Negative Thoughts
I watched a video on “writing your way to your subconscious” a few years back by a random guru Dandapani. I feel this video truly made me change the way I thought about thinking. If you have trapped negative thoughts, write them down and burn them. I’ll let this video explain.
3. Every Morning, Write Today I will…
Based off the video above, which I have tried and suggest trying, I also have read about “affirmations,” or “affirming” your life. You’ve probably seen or read a “Daily Affirmation” before, on a calendar or meme. Somewhere along the line when deciding I wasn’t going to drink alcohol anymore, I decided one way I was going to LITERALLY change my life. Anyone who’s tried knows it’s not easy to ACTUALLY change your life in any way.
I decided I was going to write a very small affirmation every morning in a blank book. The affirmation doesn’t need to be anything difficult or challenging. It can be a very simple goal or task or behavior or identity.
Today I will be a great teammate.
Today I will be a nice person.
Today I will try hard.
Each of these would be 1 morning entry, prior to leaving or starting your day. Sign it, and date it. Then read it aloud to yourself. Corny, but affirm it out loud. Then go on your way.
These are 3 examples. Very simple. The simpler the better to start. If you write this simple goal to yourself (write it not save it in a phone) you will start to see your mind back under your own control. You have lost touch with what is in your mind, for whatever reason, but that’s okay. You’ve made it this far.
The COVID wall has hit everyone. You aren’t alone. If you made it this far you’re probably someone who gives a shit about the people around you. You want what’s best for everyone but you can’t make everyone happy. It is a difficult time.
The light at the end of the tunnel is always holy. I truly believe that Good always comes knocking when Evil is present. It i is only a matter of time before what’s good will shine again.
Don’t let the devil get you down, for what you do in the light always comes back around.
