Don't Panic

As the stay-at-home orders continue and futures remain uncertain, many of us are getting more and more stir-crazy and impatient. A normal human reaction I suppose- we don't like change and we hate being told what to do even more, right? There are also many of those dealing with being out of work and having their small businesses closed which can obviously pose more issues than extreme boredom. However, throwing a potentially dangerous temper tantrum is only going to make matters worse (and by matters worse I mean even more people sick/dead) so maybe it's time we accept the fact that we've packed so many people onto this big wet rock that pandemics are a Big Freaking Deal.

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...I'm sorry, I went past my mental-health allotted 10 minute max of news time today. 

To be honest, I've been finding the stay-at-home orders easier and easier as time goes by. I've been working hard to figure out what really bothers me about the new guidelines and I realized I'm more upset that my routines have been altered than temporarily not being able to do the activities themselves (for the most part anyway).

That being said, while most of us love our routines, humans are pretty resilient and can get used to just about anything if they let themselves. I mean, Stockholm Syndrome exists as an extreme example of the lengths the brain will go to be cool with any given situation and while it's probably not great to join your kidnappers on a crime spree Patty Hearst style, I think you can get used to chilling at your house for a while for the good of the entire planet.

I know I'm being flippant here. People have lost jobs. Parents are at home trying to work and also teach their kids. Healthcare workers are literally putting their lives on the line to deal with this. Not everyone has a safe home to be in right now. Not everyone's mind is a safe space right now. I know I'm one of the lucky ones, that though my job has drastically increased my changes of getting sick, I do get to spend a lot of my time out of my house, then come home to someone I love surrounded by things to keep me busy. I'm mostly focusing my ire on people who are blatantly ignoring cautions from doctors and health professionals for the simple reason that they are bored, or that they don't care, or that they don't think covid-19 is a big deal.

Oh don't worry, this is the last I plan to rant. I had to get it out of my system but going forward, I want to- and need to- continue this blog as it was intended- a sort of record of ways I'm improving my mental health, a repository of things that have been making me happy lately. 

What has been making me happier is that I've set about making new routines. Like I said earlier, it's those upset routines that threw me off at first but I'm gradually getting used to and even appreciating my new normal. Walks outside are even more looked forward to/enjoyed. My creativity in cooking is increasing now that I don't rely as heavily on recipes because I don't swing by a store after work to pick up ingredients at-will. I'm realizing how lucky I am to already enjoy a number of stay at home activities.

Going forward, I think it'd be fun to make starter posts for the activities/crafts I like to do that keep me sane in both "normal" times and in a pandemic. This is a great time to start something new and I like the idea of potentially helping someone start a new hobby. I've also got in mind a growing list of serotonin-boosting books and movies... 

I'll end this rambling rant or whatever this was and see you soon with more anger/stress free content. Stay smart and stay safe my dudes.

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