IS IT OKAY TO BE HAPPY DURING THE QUARANTINE?

There seem to be two camps of people. There are those who are focused on being as productive as possible in the upcoming weeks. Getting things done like exercising everyday, completing those big projects you’ve put on hold for the past 5 years, and cleaning out your closets. Then there are people who are having difficulty with getting up everyday, who are anxious and worried about their futures, and feel a crushing guilt because they have not done anything more productive than finishing Netflix.

The advice of late has recognized the latter camp of people and speaks to allowing yourself to not feel the pressure of being productive.

I feel that, like with everything, you should have moderation. There is a happy-medium for everyone, the thing to recognize— that I feel has been brushed aside in all the well-meaning advice, is that “moderation” of behaviors looks different for everyone.

I feel that it is more important that we focus on acting with intention and purpose versus measuring our worth by our production and output.

We aren’t machines, we are people with lots of BIG emotions.

Everyone’s experience of what is happening in the world is different. Some people, myself included, are really enjoying this downtime. Other people are getting incredibly antsy and hate having all this free time. Some people feel guilty because they are enjoying themselves, and others feel guilty because they’re not.

Guilt, embarrassment, and even some shame rises up in people who perceive that their response to this situation is different from the norm.

I’m here to tell you— there is no right or wrong in this situation. So give yourself some grace.

Our emotions are so important because they tell us about our environment in ways that nothing else can. It’s alright for us to feel afraid, to feel free, to feel sad, happy, mad. We can feel all those feelings and they’re going to change as we go about our day. Some people are getting really tuned into their emotions during this time because we have been forced to slow down in some way. 

We are giving ourselves time to feel and witness this experience individually and collectively. That is a beautiful thing because for human beings it is a reset on what we are used to. We cannot survive on intellect alone and we must pay attention to our instincts and our emotions.

The great thing about this time is that it allows us to better understand our purpose and what “enough” feels like. We can never truly be balanced in our emotions and experience. For example, people are always seeking to be happy. But happy is an emotion and like all emotions it fluctuates. No one has ever been happy every minute of everyday. No one.

But we all seek our happy. And what makes me happy doesn’t nessesarily make you happy.

My advice, take it day by day and be present to your needs. If you wake up and you’re not feeling it, do something for yourself, what ever you may need. It could be sleeping in an extra hour, taking a bubble bath, having pancakes for dinner, or rewatching Tiger King.

And the reverse is true too. If you wake up and you’re feeling inspired, go ahead and clean out that closet, make your bed, build a birdhouse, go on a walk with your handmade face mask.

Stop stressing about what everyone else may or may not be doing. Listen to what YOU need first. If you live your life based on your values and needs first, then focus on the values and needs of others you will feel accomplished, motivated, productive, and successful. This is how we should live our lives with or without a shelter-in-place.

If you live a life entrenched in your values, then no matter what life throws at you, you will know how to respond.

Stay safe everyone.

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