For the past year my brain has been on information overload. There’s so much content to consume and it can be hard to make sense of everything the media has been spoon feeding to us. Like so
many other things, Covid has certainly caused a divide and is such a polarizing topic. You’re either pro or anti-vaccine and pro or anti-mask, and there seems to be no compromise, no middle
ground. We all feel so strongly about our beliefs and no one wants to backdown. You may have found yourself at war with friends, family and co-workers which only adds to the stress, frustration and anxiety that so many of us feel every single day.
I’m disheartened by all the conflict and division that the pandemic has caused. I’ll stay out the politics of it all but that has certainly been a huge point of contention. In the mist of this, I couldn’t help but think about how this has affected my thoughts about humanity. I’ve always been one to believe that people are inherently good, but the
pandemic has certainly highlighted the worst parts of our fellow man.
Let’s try to hold back on judging others during a worldwide health crisis. But it certainly has been interesting to see how
everyone is handling it. Some of us feel so out of control that we just want to feel that we have some power and some type of choice. Some of us are skeptical and hesitant for many reasons. Some of us just want to feel safe above everything else. Most of us just want things to go back to normal.
I think we can mostly agree that we just want to get out of the pandemic but have differing views of how to achieve this goal. No matter where you stand, I think it’s important to remember that you can only control yourself, your actions and your choices. Do what’s best for you and your loved ones and surround yourself with a
healthy support system. While it is great to research, learn from others and evaluate different perspectives, be sure to be realistic about your capacity for potential conflict and negativity. You can also limit your exposure to the news as mass media can increase anxiety and worry. Look into media outlets like the Skimm which provides concise and brief daily updates about the world news. Engage in self-care and honor how you’re feeling whether you are tired, stressed, sad, angry or overwhelmed. Take care of yourself and address your needs. Right now, we may not be treating each other that well but always be good to yourself.