I'll be honest, 2021 has been a very strange year thus far and rightly so considering all the shit we've had to go through. I first noticed in early January (just after my last episode aired which was almost eight weeks ago) that I was feeling more deflated than ever before, yet I wasn't necessarily sad, just worn out. Upon discovering this initial feeling, I attempted to embark on a short journey of self-discovery to uncover why I felt how I felt and to implement a set of coping mechanisms that I could use moving forward, and in turn, pass on to others who are feeling similar to how I felt.
Firstly, I had to identify what was wrong. The initial glaringly obvious discovery was that I felt as though I was living through a social drought brought on by the second lockdown in the UK — a social drought that I hadn't experienced before. Things were very different this time, especially compared with the first lockdown which, although tough, was still rife with a plethora of social activities such as daily video calls, games, quizzes and newly discovered walking routes. The second lockdown was contrasted with deflation, tiredness and a lack of anything worthy or remotely new and interesting to discuss with friends or family. I became angry with my friends, angry with the lack of replies in group chats, angry with the societal deflation taking place around me. Selfish? Perhaps, yet I just couldn't accept that things weren't good, and I constantly tried to fix the problems around me, rather than just simply ride the wave (easier said than done).
Some of the first steps I took was to stop being angry with the world and just accepted the uncertainty around me. I accepted that there would be a lack of social interaction because everyone had started to feel worn out by the constant fluctuations and anxieties. I accepted that my sleep was going to be shit, and in turn, accepted that there was most likely nothing I could do to fix this. I accepted that my friends weren't up for the same repetitive quizzes we once revelled in and began to map out activities that I could enjoy on my own, without friends. The list goes on and I explain this more thoroughly in the actual episode, but the biggest lesson here is acceptance: being able to just accept the cards we have been dealt with and to just keep moving forward to the best of our abilities.
This newfound acceptance has helped me feel more comfortable with myself. It took the pressure off me trying to constantly fix and control everything, making life more enjoyable and less suffocating.
I hope this episode can provide you with a sense of clarity in this uncertain time, and please let me know below if you've developed any new coping mechanisms that I may have missed.
Also, on a closing note, please do let me know if these podcasts are helpful to you. It's sometimes hard to gauge if I'm reaching people so any feedback is always appreciated. ❤️
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