Like many of you, I haven't left the house for almost two weeks. Before the state of emergency was declared, I did a slightly larger shop than usual, and my husband—who works in an essential service—has been the one going out to shop more when we've needed to.
Although I've always worked from home, and that hasn't changed for me, what has changed is not being able to go out to shop, have a coffee, or see my sister. My children now "go to school" using my computer, and like me, they meet up with their friends virtually.
This situation is difficult, strange. If we compare it to what healthcare workers are experiencing, to the generations who lived through wars—and bombs falling all around them—perhaps it's not so difficult, but that doesn't make the situation any less hard for each of us.
These past few days I've had some bad moments, and some worse ones, but with the children at home it's hard to express them, so I've kept them to myself. But the feelings are there: fear, frustration, anger, helplessness, sadness...
If you follow us on social media or receive our newsletter, you'll know we've been sharing activities to help us feel better, and I've been trying them out too. These past few days I've washed the children's backpacks and coats, cleaned the vacuum cleaner and bathroom fan filters, we've baked cookies and cakes, the children have learned to make their beds and crack eggs, among other things... These activities help us pass the time, feel productive, and escape for a while, but it's impossible to completely disconnect from reality.
What I mean by this is that even though we want to be strong, it's normal to feel weak. Even though we want to be grateful for what we have, it's normal to feel frustrated. Even though we want to be productive, it's normal to spend a day lounging on the sofa. And even though we value our health and the time we can spend with our immediate family, it's normal to feel angry about this situation.
For me, what feels best these days is reading for a while, doing yoga, and accepting my negative feelings so I can refocus on gratitude. I've also felt an even greater appreciation for knowing how to take care of myself and being able to do so. These days, more than ever, I'm mindful of eating well, moving as much as I can, and avoiding refined sugars and ultra-processed foods. I hope you've also found something that helps you get through these days.