Groundhog Days

Groundhog Day…Day 150

Best quote from the movie:
Phil: "I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over and over?"

Wouldn’t it be great if we could pick which day we wanted to live over and over again????

OK…enough with this COVID crap already. I am actually having trouble remembering what day of the week it is. (Thanks to you guys for helping me keep it straight or I would have even bigger problems).
Groundhog day was a funny movie…but it had it’s serious elements. And its very relatable to what we’re dealing with. And let’s be real, even if it originally seemed like a forced (no fault of your own) vacation, it’s not feeling like that anymore.

Depression and anxiety are REAL problems and they are rearing their ugly heads for lots of reasons related to our current pandemic. There are financial concerns, job concerns, kid concerns, health concerns…we are having multiple crises of basic survival needs all at once. So I’m curious when people are surprised that they are feeling uncomfortable.

Of course we’re feeling uncomfortable! Life as we know it just left the building…and we are feeling pretty lost and we are definitely NOT in control. It seems weird, I know, but just legitimizing your anxiety or “blah” -ness can actually help you feel better. Don’t’ expect to feel like you did when your life was full of new experiences, familiar hugs and offered the opportunity to take charge of your life and decisions. That is not how things are right now.

Saying it out loud, acknowledging it …LIFTS your spirit by NOT making you feel like something is wrong with YOU! You aren’t the problem right now, this pandemic is. And all of your feelings are legitimate, and they need to be expressed. Try it…yell a bit, bitch a bit…complain. Just don’t stay there for too long.

Try taking a certain amount of time (I like 15 minutes as a quick but decent amount) to be honest with yourself...about whatever you’re feeling right now. No problem solving or trying to look on the bright side during this time. Just unbridled, pissed off “bitching”. Then put it away.

Think of it like a pressure cooker. Once you let a little steam escape, then things continue to go on cookin’. That’s all you’re doing here…

Then you can go on to “look on the bright side” (you get to work in your sweats, try out new recipes, have more time with your kids, focus on new and exciting things). You’ll have an easier time coming up with your list after admitting the hard parts to yourself.

And if you find that you can’t shake those blues, or the angst, do things to take care of yourself. Embrace your legitimate need for a little indulgence. Cut yourself a break. Hug your dog or your kiddos.

And if you STILL can't shake it...well, you might not know this, but if we feel really down or anxious for too long (that differs for everyone) our brain chemistry actually begins to change. Unfortunately this change can be difficult to undo without a professional’s help, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to reverse. So go ahead and ask for help if you need it. We're here for you.