Have you felt a little depressed and anxious lately? Welcome to the club! It’s a pretty big club, and nobody wants to be the president. In fact, nobody wants to be in the club. People would much rather pretend they weren’t in the club. Some would prefer that no such club existed. But exist it does.
Realize You’re Not Helping by Adding to the Hand-Wringing
There are already plenty of Chicken Littles, running around squawking about the sky falling. One of the big issues is nobody knows what’s going to happen. The science isn’t all in yet. We get plenty of new stories every day. It’s all anyone is talking about, actually. Nobody thinks the virus is going away any time soon, but complaints about being bored really don’t help. What to do instead? Post inspirational photos and messages. For instance, have you seen the posts that Arnold Schwarzenegger is making, with him and his mini-horses (“fueling up with Whiskey and Lulu?”) Some may say they’re tone-deaf, but I think they’re wonderful.
Photos by Hot Rod Homepage
Don’t Repeat Rumors
There are so many rumors right now. And the hoaxes and conspiracy theories are everywhere! Social media amplifies the craziest rumors and theories, with people believing they’re real. Please check with Snopes or the World Health Organization or some other legit source. Also, you probably don’t want to overshare right now. More about Oversharing. What to do instead? Tell the truth in as clear and succinct a way as possible. There’s already enough chaos!
Stay Away from Stories
That is, making up a weird story about what’s happening doesn’t help anything or anyone. Saying it’s the end of the world, even if you think Armageddon is here, just adds to the confusion.
Unless They’re Funny Stories
On the other hand, gentle humor, pictures of your cat, and National Puppy Day are all perfectly legit right now. It seems like we’re all balancing the extreme seriousness of the situation with sillier-than-normal memes, videos, and stories. If you need a list of Hashtag Holidays, SproutSocial has a pretty good one. And maybe you’re making up your own holidays, too.
How Are You Dealing with These End Times?
I’m joking! But really, if you’re staying at home, how are you keeping your sanity? Let me know with a comment!
The biggest thing for me is limiting my time consuming the news. I am not typically a “news junky,” yet with this situation, I feel it’s important that I stay informed on the latest. But once I have the intel, I turn it off. I am also limiting my personal time on social media.
As for keeping my sanity, exercise! Our gym gave us 60-day access to online-classes, so I use those. I also walk and have a few weights to throw around in my garage.
Hi Tess,
The news is so stressful right now. It really is like a slow-motion train wreck. You’re wise to limit your time both consuming news and on social media.
That’s great that your gym is offering online classes! I hope you’re finding them to be a good substitute. I saw your at-home setup. How nice to be able to workout in the garage!
Thanks for stopping by.
Be well,
Carol