Just when we thought 2020 was the toughest year yet, 2021 is surely giving it a run for its money. We passed the first half of the year with high hopes of redeeming what we have lost and wasted for the past year. Things were slowly starting to recover but the virus also had its way of crippling through our lives again, mutating into another variant more ruthless than the previous one, taking a toll and threat to humanity. Before we knew it, there was another wave of long quarantine periods and lockdowns, saddening news headlines, terrifying horrors of what-ifs and could-have-beens—took little or too much of our plates to handle.
Albeit the fear of the uncertain and the unknown, we are all gifted with free will and choice. We hope that you choose to take the lighter path of things, always prioritizing mental and physical wealth in the midst of this ongoing global health crisis. Here are a few tips to keep yourself mentally healthy and stable the second time around this pandemic:
1. Invest your long hours at home on SELF-IMPROVEMENT.
Try to read a book, learn a new instrument or sport, binge watch the latest series and movies, find a new hobby, pamper yourself on that sought after glow-up package, invest your time in growth and self-love.
2. Check-in with your friends from time to time.
The physical borders may have been closed but social media continues to be open with a wide reach in connecting you with your loved ones. Exchange stories and experiences, schedule consistent catch-up sessions, allow yourself to be vulnerable on random check-ins with your barkada. Utilize the internet and social media in deepening bonds and relationships.
3. Read news and information from reliable sources online.
Ignorance may be bliss but during this time, it is important to keep track of the latest news to prepare yourself for the future. Make sure to verify news across various platforms. Share the information and encourage your loved ones to be vigilant.
4. Allow yourself to be vulnerable.
It’s okay to not be okay. This line has been a cliché since the onset of this pandemic but your feelings of anxiety and sadness are valid. Cry when you need to. There are some circumstances that absorb so much of our energy that we break down during the process. Feel what you need to feel. Seek help from mental health professionals not only on times when you need to, but on moments when you feel to seek for professional advice, when you need someone unbiased to talk with. There are a lot of help hotlines circulating in social media who offer a friend and a listening ear. Don’t be hesitant and approach a mental health practitioner if you deem it necessary.
We have our individual ways in coping up with the stress brought about in this wave of the pandemic. May we continue to persistently encourage and lift each other up despite the unwanted situations surrounding us. Appreciate the beauty of living day to day, and acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses. Life is not always a happy ride but everything will be worth it along the way. Keep yourself physically healthy by strictly following safety protocols and measures and be mentally healthy by taking care of yourself and your loved ones. We are living a difficult life with what’s going on now but we are living. We are not merely existing but we are living – thriving but flourishing, crippled but we stay resilient in fighting and winning our battles with faith and courage.
