Same As It Ever Was

I’m going to address the elephant in the room: I haven’t posted anything in nearly two years. My anxiety and depression were such that adding the weight of a blog post wasn’t in the cards. We can address it at a later time, possibly. But for now let’s just pick up the conversation like we’re good friends who haven’t talked in ages and be excited we’re communicating again.

When I really stop and catalogue some of the historic events we’ve lived through this century, it’s no wonder people struggle with their mental health. Between 9/11, the Great Recession, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, COVID-19, the Ukraine invasion, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, not to mention Donald Trump going from reality star to former president, I have cultural and historical whiplash. And this isn’t an exhaustive list. Don’t forget global warming is still a thing, women no longer have bodily autonomy, and gun control is an afterthought. Which brings us to the latest turning point in our nation’s history – the attempted assassination on Trump this past weekend.

To be clear, I’d rather vote for Commander, Joe Biden’s dog who bites, than either candidate in this year’s election, so I’m not looking to make this a political rant. I’m just trying to make sense of how much horror we have to witness and absorb as a society before we hit rock bottom. People hurting people seems to be the default this century. Can this be a turning point? Probably not, if I’m being honest. And yet I have to have hope in order to be resilient. 

Gentle Reminders to Myself

I found a journal entry I wrote in July 2022, when I was coming out of a depressive episode. My therapist advised me to write down the nuggets of wisdom that helped me cope. I’m so glad I did, because it’s helping me now. My existential dread became useful for a more content mindset. Turns out, worrying about death stressed me out way more than accepting it as inevitable.

So in no particular order, here are my zen reminders that we all die and may as well enjoy the ride before it ends, even with the chaotic world around us:

• No one is as worried about your problems as you are
• Do your part in your corner of society, and hope the good examples spread
• Surround yourself with people who support the version of yourself you want to be
• If have control over something that bothers you, fix it; otherwise, let it go
• Not everything is about you, and that’s okay
• If it’s not your problem, don’t make it yours
• You can prepare for the worst, but you don’t have to set it a seat at the table
• Just because someone does things differently than you doesn’t mean it’s wrong

It was fun to come across these snippets and realize how much they’ve become part of my mindset. Being mindful of the present has helped me accept the future, whatever it may be.