Yes, we have lots to be grateful for.

Yes, there are people way worse off than us.

Yes, this too shall pass and we will celebrate.

But its okay to feel really shitty and miss the small things that used to make you happy. Our sadness is our own, and while we should try to remain positive and focus on the good, its also okay to feel a bit sorry for ourselves, for a little while at least.

Some of us, who complained about doing exams this May are grieving because they don’t have the luxury of going to school, of having set dates, of knowing the timeline.

Some of us, who had a crush on that cutie, and looked forward to seeing them in class, or at the bus stop, or in our friend group, are missing those butterflies that brightened our days.

Some of us, who took comfort in structure, are coming to terms with the fact that we can’t control everything, and that sometimes, we need to just take each day as it comes.

Some of us, who love nothing more than putting on fake tan, playing around with make up, putting on false lashes and expressing ourselves through fashion, are missing that creative outlet.

Some of us, who have invested so much our talent won’t get to compete, to perform or to see all that hard work come to fruition.

Some of us, who don’t feel safe or loved at home, and who’s friends are their chosen family, and who will never take a hug or a belly laugh for granted again.

Some of us, who had jobs which gave us a level of freedom, a way to meet new people, and pocket money to buy eyeshadow pallets from Morphe, and now have to say goodbye to that independence for a while.

And all of us, who don’t know how long this new “normal” will last, and what the outcome will be for us. Those of us who are scared.

You know what? That really sucks.

We mostly talk about grief in terms of death, but any sort of loss can result in grief. There are a number of stages, and we are all probably experiencing them on some level right now

1. Denial “We’ll be okay, Corona won’t effect us”.
2. Anger “I can’t believe this thing has ruined all my plans, and made me lose my job”
3. Bargaining “Okay, I’ll do the two week thing, but then I really need this to be over”.
4. Sadness “Oh my God this is just so sad and I can’t fix it”.
5. And lastly, Acceptance “Okay, this is happening, and its not fair, and it is scary but I’m going to make a plan to get through it.”

Only when you reach the acceptance stage, can you make a plan to make your situation more positive.

Heres what you can do..

1. I can listen to the guidelines, stay inside, wash my hands, and play my part
2. I can deal with only what’s in front of me, and take things day by day, rather than letting my mind go to worst case scenarios
3. I will remind myself that its not my job to feel the worlds pain, and stay in the now, and in my own world when it all gets too much.
4. I will not judge others for how they are reacting, as I can’t see things through their lens. I will only take responsibility for my own behaviour.
5. I will put my energy into helping others where possible, checking in with those who are struggling, and trying to bring some positivity and happiness to those who are in this with me.
6. I will try to stay well by being as productive as I can when I can, and by resting when I need to.
7. I will breathe……

This will pass, and we will dance on the streets, but in the meantime, here are 242 smiles in 3 minutes to make you feel better..

 

 

 

 

“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
— Anaïs Nin