News

The morning news just said: “Today has been canceled. Go back to sleep.” Hopeful for the New Year? What with those canceled trips, burying loved ones without a proper funeral, postponing celebrations, and living on Zoom…Rrright. Feeling downbeat, discouraged, and dreary? Well, whatever you do, don’t quit your daydream. You already know what giving up feels like; try seeing what happens if you don’t.

Ever see people who can simply do everything, and you think: “I should have them do some stuff for me”? Do you feel perpetually strained, stressed out, or shell-shocked these days? Trust me, there is nothing righteous or self-respectable about self-sacrificing and ignoring your own needs to the point of neglecting yourself. Do you regularly put everyone and everything above your own needs, even at the risk of your emotional or physical health, at times? It is high time to stop nourishing your inner martyr. No need to drown, being everyone else’s anchor, sweet friends.

We all know people who seem to have the emotional intelligence of a rock. Are you one of them? Even friends or loved ones can at times become preoccupied or insensitive, leaving us feeling abandoned, lonely, and unappreciated. How can you hack it and hold your own?

I know. Sometimes getting out of bed just ruins your whole day. You know that awesome feeling when you get into bed, fall right to sleep, stay asleep all night, and wake up feeling refreshed? Yeah, me neither. So what makes you get of bed each morning these days? Sure, everyone wants you to be a floating balloon, but you feel like a 30-pound anchor right about now. Speaking of balloons, the first person who discovered helium most have been so relieved when the effects wore off. Heh. But truly, there may be a mountain of things weighing you down.

Stay trippy, you little hippie. Yea, yea, you’re chanting those affirmations, got that Instagram-worthy yoga pose and Namaste going all day long; but did you squeeze in any real depth or self-awareness between those meditation sessions? Of course, you’re not the black sheep; you’re the tie-dyed one. Granted, we all want “good vibes” and would do anything to avoid discomfort at all costs. We’re seeking, struggling, and striving to fix, heal, and make ourselves whole. But I’ll bet you’ve seen some so-called spiritual folk with self-entitled judgments about anyone who disagrees with their allegedly empathetic views.

Does your blood bubble, bluster and boil when you see someone without a mask on – or perhaps when you see throngs of people waiting on a line, all wearing masks? What do you think mandated masks are? Superstitious or politically motivated muzzles – or lifesaving protectors? What say you? How maddening is it when you perceive a threat in one way, and others view it as the total reverse and opposite pole? A number of people believe in following all the rules commanded by the powers that be in order to protect themselves and the safety of those around them. Others doubt governmental reports and consider the loss of their individual freedom – as well as not being able to share closeness with loved ones – as more of a threat to their constitutional rights – and their mental and physical health – than the virus itself.