Maybe We Just Need Some Time To Grieve

I’m looking around at friends, clients, colleagues, family, and even acquaintances and I’m seeing the same thing everywhere I look. People are really struggling right now. We are burnt out from the rollercoaster of a world-wide pandemic, the constant arguing about vaccines, masks, and other life-saving options, and the loss of what life used to look like two years ago. People are burnt out, anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, and completely fed up. Of course they are. This has been a tremendously challenging couple of years.

I know I’ve been trying to do everything to pull myself out of some of that misery. I’ve decreased my news intake, removed toxic people from my life, go outside every day, keep an ongoing gratitude list, and yet, I’m struggling too. Recently, I realized that I just need to grieve. I really need to sit in the feelings of loss and be okay with those feelings. My career, although incredibly satisfying, will likely never be the same. How I look at so many of my fellow Americans will never be the same. And how we find a way to unite and accept seems light years away right now. All of our lives have changed, and although I’m able to not only find the silver lining, but also the opportunity, I’m also heartbroken.

The pandemic caused disruption, pain, and loss. It's OK to not be OK and to grieve. #Covid #pandemic #grief #MentalHealth Click To Tweet

I’ve tried so hard to spiritually bypass my way out of the pandemic that I’ve actually denied myself the opportunity to grieve. I’m heartbroken for our country, for our citizens who have lost family members to lies and misinformation, for people who now have long-term COVID symptoms, and for all of those who refused to be part of the solution of caring for each other. I’m sad, disappointed, discouraged, and periodically feeling helpless and hopeless. And . . . all of those feelings are completely okay and understandable. I’m going to allow myself to grieve the loss of so much that has come from COVID.

Grief is a completely normal part of life and I’m going to experience it. I recommend you do the same. We’ve lost a lot and grief makes perfect sense right now. I trust that I won’t grieve forever and that sitting in the feelings of grief are exactly what I need and want right now. Feel it all right now, let it move through you, acknowledge your feelings and validate the normalcy of having them. These are tough times. Feeling that is exactly what most of us need right now.

Love,

Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC