Photo by Madison Inouye from Pexels — Photo by **Madison Inouye** from **Pexels**

For some of us, we have been dealing with the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic since around March 2020. At least for me, I have been working from home since then. The rest of my family joined me soon after. Having to work (if so fortunate), taking care of children and trying to live our daily lives in relatively new ways has been a heavy load to bear.

Through all of this, I have written some posts reflecting my thoughts and the experiences of those around me. Due to the challenges resulting from societal changes caused by the pandemic, it is easy to feel alone. I can assure you that, unless you’re facing some one-off situation, there are people going through “it,” too.

A recap of a few of my past posts:

“What To Do When Somebody Hurts (Sometimes)”: allowing ourselves to experience our feelings rather than hiding from them. It’s okay to admit that things have changed and that we have a new normal. My hope is that, as we face this pandemic, we’ll come closer together.
“What Are You Doing Right Now To Help?”: riffed off of President Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural Speech. I discussed my hope for our elected officials to think more about their communities than in re-election. I called for those with resources to share some with those that don’t have them because it can only benefit society. The need to commit to a unified course of action to minimize further pandemic deaths. Helping the community can involve small actions and don’t need to be grandiose.
“Starting A New Normal: Yesterday Is Gone“: I suggested that there is no “returning to normal,” since “normal” is relative. Discussed some Stoic texts calling for us to make due with what we have because the time that has passed is gone and what is left is a bonus; it is in our power to “cheerfully put to good use what they [us] do have.” Moving forward one inch at a time past whatever situation(s) that we face.
“Coronavirus: Mom, Dad-It's Okay Not To Be Perfect”: for the parents, it’s okay to feel like you fall short. When our kids were in school, it could be frustrating to balance school with trying to make sure that kids completed their homework. It’s okay to be open on social media that everything isn’t okay for you. Some, if not much, of the “sense of failure” as parents was in our heads and not strongly rooted in reality. Not unlike what I wrote in “Starting A New Normal: Yesterday Is Gone” that we, parents, should focus on what we can do rather than on what we can’t.

Sometimes, You Need A Break

This past weekend, I had a chance to reconnect with an old work friend. During our conversation, she mentioned having to work through some issues. She admitted that, as an empathic person she took on too much of her client’s problems. In the course of trying to help them, it became harder to leave “some of that” behind at work. Over time, “some of that” added up and her mind and body forced her to take a break.

As I thought about this conversation, I returned to this blog’s slogan, “Be Your Best To Do Your Best.” At the time, when I created it around one year ago, I never imagined that a pandemic would provide us unforeseen challenges in trying to fulfill it.

Something that I was reminded of recently was of the need for me to take time for myself. Unless my family is going somewhere, I tend to stay close to home. I’m a bit of a homebody. On a given workday, I’m in front of a computer screen for eight hours per day, then I spend time with my family. After work, I might work on a blog post. For the next few weeks, my son has his remaining baseball practices or games. After he goes to bed, then I try to use that time to catch up on reading. With so much daily stimuli, when do I take little time to refresh and recharge my psyche?

You Are Not Alone

As I wrote in the introduction, many of us are going through things that others aren’t necessarily unique to us. I decided to write about remembering to engage in self-care because I thought that I’m hardly the only person guilty of driving themselves too hard and not taking adequate time to recharge. Not taking this time could put us at risk for what happened to my friend. We should take time out now before we are forced to take it.

As you read this post or if you have read others and are taking the slogan, “Be Your Best To Do Your Best” to heart, I ask you not to live your life without remember to care for the person living it: YOU. If you feel like you’re struggling, ask your employer for help. If resources aren’t available, see if your state or county have available resources. There are, also, free hotlines and some apps that bring counseling to your nearest mobile device. Lastly, reach out to your loved ones and share your struggles. You might be surprised to hear who may have gone through similar things.

DON’T FORGET TO TAKE THE TIME FOR YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE YOUR BEST.

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