Since 2020 started, emotions have been running high. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a lot of anxiety, grief, and frustration.
Today, I wanted to reach out and let you know that if you’re struggling with your emotions during this difficult time, I see you, and you’re not alone.
If you’re struggling to adjust to the “new normal,” if you’re longing for the way life was last year, I see you and I’m with you. It’s hard to have your entire way of life turned upside down overnight. I’m proud of you for doing your best to adapt to ever-changing circumstances.
If you’ve lost a loved one to COVID-19, I see you and I’m with you. I see your sadness and grief, and I’m sorry if you didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to your loved one in-person. I’m proud of you for having the strength to keep going, even as your heart is breaking.
If you’re an essential worker, I see you and I’m with you. Thank you for helping us to meet our needs, even if it comes at a cost. I appreciate everything you do to help us function during this uncertain time, and I see the stress you endure as you counteract the risks of going to work. I’m proud of you for continuing to show up day after day, even when it’s hard, scary, and stressful.
If you’ve lost your job due to COVID-19, I see you and I’m with you. I see how much you worry about making ends meet and feeding your family. I’m proud of you for having the strength and courage to do whatever it takes to provide for your family.
If you’re struggling to find a job after graduating college, I see you and I’m with you. As a recent college graduate, I’m right there with you. It’s not fair that we’ve graduated into one of the worst economies in recent memory, and it’s not fair that the coronavirus has made our job search more complicated. Not only do we have to compete for a small number of jobs, but we also have to do extra research to make sure those jobs are reasonably safe. I see the worry and the stress, and I’m proud of you for sticking with your job search and working through your discouragement.
If you’ve had to adjust to working remotely and homeschooling your kids, I see you and I’m with you. It’s not easy to help your kids adjust to homeschooling while you’re trying to adjust to working from home. I’m proud of you for persevering and rolling with the punches, no matter how hard things get.
If you’ve missed out on special events, I see you and I’m with you. My in-person college graduation got cancelled, and I only had a small graduation over Zoom through the English department at my school. It’s disappointing to have important events be cancelled, especially when you waited so long for them. I’m proud of your for acknowledging your disappointment and working through it in a healthy manner.
I’m sorry that this year has been so difficult. I’m sorry for the struggles and pain you’ve dealt with this year. I’m so proud of you for being strong and courageous enough to roll with the punches, even when it’s hard. This pandemic won’t last forever, and you will survive. There will be better days ahead. I promise.
Have you been struggling with the pandemic? If so, what challenges have you faced?
Anxiety Free World 