I'm fully aware of my privilege in this situation. I'm writing from my front porch, where I'm appropriately shaded from the hot sun on my work laptop. My work responsibilities are not disrupted by working from home, though no business is immune, the impact is relatively small, considering what many in the service industry are experiencing, and I know I have enough of a financial cushion and mental confidence, having been let-go before, to get through any negative employment decisions. We have just been notified that there will not be merit raises this year and aside from my wish that executive bonuses would be put back into the business as additional financial cushion, I feel like my company is doing the best they can, and so far, I'm grateful.
Logically, I know how to focus on the positive things in my life and there are many, which I frequently count. This is a different kind of grind that is really tough, though. I don't feel depressed and I wouldn't describe my feelings as "down in the dumps," either. I think "grind" is the best way to describe it; I feel like my positivity is being chipped away, slowly. The daily energy required to limit the irritability to focus on the positive is, at times, overwhelming.
Cora, my 6-year old, is not an independent reader, yet. I don't know if my approach is the problem, but reading with her is not a positive experience, for either of us.
Stella, at 9 years old, is hyper-focused on getting as much screen-time as she can, knowing that I'm trying to limit the screen time. For some reason, she does not like to play outside, either.
The amount of whining is killing me slowly (not softly... it's quite loud sometimes). This type of "kill" is meant as a figure of speech, though I recognize that it's not the best time for this metaphor.
I am following the rules for sheltering in place and on my perch in the cul de sac, I have effectively avoided the panic/fear of contracting the virus, because I'm choosing to focus on the fact that my risk is quite low. I am not personally affected by these scary numbers and curve graphs, because I don't take public transportation and grocery shopping is not within a confined space. Keeping distance, washing hands and wiping down products will work here, where I see more trees than people and the birds are more prevalent than apartment windows.
I wish I could effectively impart this view of the situation to those whom I feel are being consumed by fear and looking for targets. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/05/opinion/coronavirus-social-distancing.html?referringSource=articleShare
Logically, I know how to focus on the positive things in my life and there are many, which I frequently count. This is a different kind of grind that is really tough, though. I don't feel depressed and I wouldn't describe my feelings as "down in the dumps," either. I think "grind" is the best way to describe it; I feel like my positivity is being chipped away, slowly. The daily energy required to limit the irritability to focus on the positive is, at times, overwhelming.
Cora, my 6-year old, is not an independent reader, yet. I don't know if my approach is the problem, but reading with her is not a positive experience, for either of us.
Stella, at 9 years old, is hyper-focused on getting as much screen-time as she can, knowing that I'm trying to limit the screen time. For some reason, she does not like to play outside, either.
The amount of whining is killing me slowly (not softly... it's quite loud sometimes). This type of "kill" is meant as a figure of speech, though I recognize that it's not the best time for this metaphor.
I am following the rules for sheltering in place and on my perch in the cul de sac, I have effectively avoided the panic/fear of contracting the virus, because I'm choosing to focus on the fact that my risk is quite low. I am not personally affected by these scary numbers and curve graphs, because I don't take public transportation and grocery shopping is not within a confined space. Keeping distance, washing hands and wiping down products will work here, where I see more trees than people and the birds are more prevalent than apartment windows.
I wish I could effectively impart this view of the situation to those whom I feel are being consumed by fear and looking for targets. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/05/opinion/coronavirus-social-distancing.html?referringSource=articleShare
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