With the quarantine, stay-at-home order, social distancing, masks, gloves, hoarding, etc, the world is in a different place and so is my mental health.  When this all first started, I didn’t think it was a big deal.  I was naive. With over 26 million people out of work and not knowing what was going to happen with my job and my husband’s job, it was time I took it serious and that’s when I knew I needed to protect my own mental health.

The COVID-19 is scary and it has the best of the best scratching their heads trying to figure out their next step.  There is no vaccine. They barely know where it originated from or how it even came about.  The only thing they know is that it doesn’t discriminate.  COVID-19 doesn’t give a damn about color, gender or age.  It will affect anyone it comes in contact with.  Some will fight the virus and the virus will fight others.  Many will live but some will die.  With so much uncertainty right now, I definitely have to protect my mental health.  Protecting my mental health also protects those closest to me.  If I’m in a good space mentally, so is my mother, my daughter, my son, my husband and believe it or not, my beloved corgi mix.

I am the one in my family that everyone leans on. I am the strength in my household. I am the one that they all depend on.  Does it get overwhelming?  Absolutely!  We are family.  We are forever and for me, it comes with the territory and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Protecting my mental health entails a lot of me time.  I spend time watching television, reading, studying and crafting.  I go to work everyday.  My husband and I go on dates at the park.  My kids and I go to the park. We walk to the yogurt shop.  I window shop a lot online.  I sit outside.  I listen to music.  I make phone calls instead of texting.  What I have noticed most is I have really unplugged from social media.  I take it all one day at a time and I do my best to keep a smile on my face.  I see the good and the positive and to me, God has a bigger plan for all of us.  It was time for people as a whole to slow down. Spend time with families and turn to God.  He’s in control and if people don’t see it now, they never will.

I encourage all of you to do whatever you can to protect your mental health. Make sure you are taking time for you. Find some quiet time and just sit and reflect on what we will have to look forward to when this is all over.  See the positive in the situation and not the negative.  Protect your mental health.