I’ve realised I am not the only one feeling a bit ‘meh’ throughout this winter lockdown. The reduced hours of sunlight and cold weather is always a struggle, but that in combination with a lockdown and social distancing has started to get the better of me. What I am struggling with the most is this constant darkness when I’m not working during the week. I miss long summer evening walks in local parks and going for a run on the River Main as the sun rises in the mornings.
It’s so easy to get into a rut. You don’t want to socialise too much, so you stay indoors more. But constantly sitting indoors is not good for your mental health. Naturally, your first call would be to meet up with friends – but oh wait, there’s a pandemic, and socialising is limited.
My most recent personal highlight was the delivery of my new plant pot. And I’m honestly not sure if that’s because of the pandemic or the fact that I’m nearing 30. I assume a combination of both – hopefully. At least whilst writing this, I have come to find it humourous. Grey clouds and silver linings… or “Glück im Unglück,” as said in German.
I’d love to give you all the answers to eradicate this feeling. But I guess you’ve already seen ‘home workouts’, ‘new hobbies’ and ‘cleaning’ pasted all over the internet when reading about how to keep busy during at home throughout the pandemic. But yes, if you can find the energy, set yourself a few tasks and try to get out the house for quick walk. It helps – sometimes.
A friend sent me the most mindful message this morning: “Have a wonderful day! And if you can’t have a wonderful day, then it’s perfectly fine to just have a day.” This really made me smile. We’re in the midst of a pandemic. Good days are great, bad days are normal, and if you can’t describe exactly how you’re feeling ‘meh’ is good enough too.
Alisa Jordan Writes 