It's Okay to Not Feel Okay
Humans have 27 different emotions. It's true! (I put the full list at the bottom.) For example, today I felt amused, anxious, awkward, bored, calm, confused, envious, afraid, sad, sympathetic, triumphant, and a few combo plates of emotions as well.
Some people believe we're limited to anger, happiness, or sadness. But isn't it great that we're so much more nuanced than that?
So, in light of the new reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to remind everyone that it's okay to NOT feel okay. It's a normal part of the human emotion spectrum, and many of the 27 emotions fall under the "not okay" umbrella.
But what if you're the one in your household who everyone looks to for reassurance? If you're the designated "rock" of the family, are you allowed to feel anything but stable and solid?
Yes. And here's how:
Take the Pressure Off Yourself
Let's start with the most obvious. Unless you're the one and only person with the secret to kicking ass during a world pandemic, give yourself a break! (But if you are that person, give us a break and share your divine knowledge.)
Ask for Help
Sometimes, asking for help is as simple as asking your partner for five minutes of alone time while they attend to a chore or the kids. Other times, it means crying on the phone with a loved one. It might even mean asking yourself for help, and just putting down that unnecessary task for a few minutes to breathe.
Check in with Yourself
What is it that you need to feel “more okay.” Are you anxious? Breathe and meditate. Restless? Move your body: stretch, do jumping jacks, dance! Bored? Pick up a book, Google a new topic, go down a Wikipedia or YouTube rabbit hole. Scared? Ask for a hug, snuggle, hold hands. Lonely? Reach out to someone, FaceTime, do some overdo catching up.
Relinquish Control and Be Grateful!
Hate to break it to you guys, but this one is just as crucial as it is difficult. But keep in mind that the one thing that we do have control over—especially right now—is paying attention to the rules, being socially conscious, and staying put. That’s how we can help. And if you can step outside of being sad for the things that have changed, and be grateful for the new, slower pace of life, you might start to feel a bit “more okay.”
If there was ever a time to toast to good health, it's right now!
Identify Your Emotions
If you ever feel overwhelmed, take a moment to try and identify the emotions. Consult the list below and find the exact flavors you're going through. For example, perhaps part of that is feeling sadness, which is due to grief. That grief can be from something that you feel you have lost, so if you can let yourself mourn it appropriately, it can begin to trouble you less and less.
When we can identify the base emotion, we can then identify the root issue – and start to address them effectively.
Admiration
Adoration
Aesthetic Appreciation
Amusement
Anxiety
Awe
Awkwardness
Boredom
Calmness
Confusion
Craving
Disgust
Empathetic pain
Entrancement
Envy
Excitement
Fear
Horror
Interest
Joy
Nostalgia
Romance
Sadness
Satisfaction
Sexual desire
Sympathy
Triumph
REMEMBER: Truly accept that “it’s okay to not be okay.” Because it is!
