Your big day. Months of planning. Years of dreaming. All dissipated due to a highly contagious and pernicious virus. Whether it be weddings or graduations, the entire world’s plans have been abruptly halted for the past few months thanks to Covid-19. We were all under the impression that by July, we’d be living an unbothered, airy summer packed with lavish brunches, raving concerts, cozy kickbacks and memorable road trips to the beach.
While we’re allowed to be upset that 2020 has essentially been "cancelled", we do have to acknowledge that people are not only SUFFERING but DYING because of this virus. We can't begin to understand what some victims have endured because of this virus, nor what tragedies families have had to face. Being a part of humanity means we’re all responsible for each other’s LIVES.
Refusing to stay home and refusing to wear a mask is a refusal to care for humanity. This noncompliance to flatten the curve has forced a prolonged quarantine. Simultaneously, with the spread of a pandemic and extended isolation, there also comes a spread of paranoia and panic. So much was unknown about this virus when it first broke out, and even today a cure still hasn’t been procured. One cough. A bit of nausea. A slight headache and our minds go to the worst place. Covid-19 is the literal definition of anxiety- fear of the unknown has never been this heightened. Social isolation has caused depression rates to soar. The elderly aren’t able to have warm visits from loved ones. Families are separated due to the risks traveling brings. Finances have become a sore spot for most households, and some are struggling to make ends meet. This pandemic hasn’t spared anyone. We’ve all been affected to some degree.
Mental Health MATTERS
[Disclaimer: I am no mental health expert by any means. I can only speak from personal experience and what has worked for me.]
Personally, one thing that really took a huge plunge was the state of my mental health. That’s probably why it’s taken me this long to finally sit and articulate my thoughts on this. Mental health matters. If yours has been affected during this time, trust that you’re not the only one. As I mentioned earlier, depression and anxiety rates have skyrocketed. A pandemic like this rids us of control. We can’t control what we don’t know, and we don’t know much about these unprecedented times. The end doesn’t seem as near as it once did. Our lives going back to a so called “normal” seems like a dream at this point. This kind of thinking causes our stress and anxiety levels to rise. Constantly being worried about if you or a family member will contract Covid-19 drains you. You’re frustrated with the world and it’s lack of responsibility to make this virus go away. You’re doing your part, so why on Earth are they not able to do theirs?
Karla Ivankovich, PhD (a Counseling Psychology professor at North Park University Chicago) sheds light to this panic as such, “The unknown steals the one thing that gives us comfort in scary times, and that’s control.” Not having control puts us in a vulnerable position, and this position leads some of us with a desire to give up. We lose hope for what’s to come and motivation to move forward. This can spiral into depression, and for a while, this is the mindset I had taken on. I didn’t see the point of waking up every day because there was nothing to look forward to. I felt like I was living the same day, every day, and it was immensely unsettling. My motivation had diminished due to a lack of inspiration from social outings where I usually pull my creativity from. It’s human nature to crave and thrive in social interactions. They not only fulfill us, but help us maintain our sanity. I’m far from a homebody, so I wasn’t used to being home constantly. Cabin fever is an understatement. Because of my anxiety, I had gotten used to doing anything apart from sitting alone with my sentiments. I try to keep myself as distracted as possible because my thoughts have a knack for spiraling.
These spiraling thoughts have had a huge impact on my sleeping patterns. Sleep? I don't know her. Waking up every hour to full on insomnia. Not being able to drive to work or school and essentially exhausting ourselves with the usual day-to-day activities isn’t allowing us to be weary enough to fall asleep. Anxiety and depression also exacerbates poor sleeping patterns. All three are intertwined. On the other hand, mending one of them can place you on the right path to regulating the other two.
R&R Remedies
The first thing I worked on was my sleeping schedule. One of the most important things to alleviate your sleeping patterns is to make sure you’re getting the same amount of sleep every night. Keep to a regular sleeping schedule, and ensure that it’s approximately 7-9 hours. Utilize alarms every morning, and force yourself to sleep and wake up at a set time daily. It’s always important to limit your caffeine and coming from a coffee fiend- this is easier said than done. This one is obvious- but doing some sort of work out will exhaust you physically, helping you doze off quicker. Going on walks with my mom every evening helped break up routine. Within those walks, we’d choose different paths to explore every day- just to prevent us from getting stir crazy.
I think it’s also imperative to have a night time routine, especially if you’re struggling to soothe your mind at night. Create a relaxing aura in your bedroom. Light candles. Take a warm bath right before bed. Moisturize and implement a good skin care routine. Instead of scrolling through your apps, read a book before bed, and drink some hot, sizzling tea. As romanticized as this night time routine sounds, it’s always helped me unwind. I’m able to not only feel sleepy, but actually sleep throughout the night. Getting a good night’s rest is also beneficial because it’ll ease and calm your mind, reducing anxiety levels.
Anxiety Antidotes
I’ve always said anxiety is a day to day battle. Note that you shouldn’t worry about what isn’t in your control. As your mind decides to run with it’s thoughts, try pausing for a moment and just BREATHE. Breathing is the biggest tool in combating anxiety. Focusing on the moment will force you to realize that you have to accept what you can’t change.
Media consumption is a huge trigger to anxiety. I want to emphasize that the news will dramatize a lot of information. This is so that viewers keep tuning in and their ratings stay up. I’m not saying to not watch the news- it’s extremely important to stay informed and aware of developments. Take the facts for what they are and keep it moving. Don’t get caught up and consumed by their theories and predictions. Sitting in front of the TV all day or reading the news on your phone all night isn’t going to change what’s happening out there. It’s also conducive in being more mindful. Be grateful. Be present. Live in the moment you’re in. Not on what you’ve missed. Not on what can’t take place anymore. Only the present. I'm also not saying you're not allowed to be upset about what was supposed to happen. You're allowed to let yourself feel sad about major moments you're missing out on. After you've accepted the reality of things, choose gratitude and mindfulness because it's what's going to carry you through these difficult times.
Breathing methods that may be useful with anxiety (found on @aarahealth 's Instagram):
Therapeutic anxiety apps that may be useful: https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/virtual-therapy-mental-health-apps
Dodging Depression
Social isolation leads to loneliness and loneliness leads to depression. If routines help you stay distracted and remain sane, use it to your advantage. Personally, I enjoy creating an extensive to-do list at the beginning of each week, and then dividing those tasks into a daily to-do list. Checking off each item makes me feel astronomically productive and like I have some sense of purpose. This is crucial to my mental health because not having purpose makes me feel worthless and makes life meaningless.
Our friends and family have the capability of making us feel like our lives are a bit fuller. The best ways to stay connected to the world is to stay in touch with people. Facetime and Zoom has helped us recreate more tuned in date nights, chatty soirees with our girls, and family game nights. Talking to people- even virtually, helped me curb and distract my depressive thoughts to some degree. It’s also comforting just to hear that you aren’t alone, and your friends and family are most likely feeling the same emotions you’ve been hit with. Check in on your friends as well. We tend to have this victim mentality that we’re the only ones going through something. Be mindful of what your friends or family members may be going through during this time and try to be there for them- it could in turn cathartically help you as well.
Another thing I’ve learned is to just get outside! Getting some Vitamin D is highly underrated. Feeling the warmth from the sun’s rays on your skin instantly abates any worries you may have had right before stepping out.
Other things that you can do to keep distracted during quarantine: painting, reading, listening to a new podcast, discovering new movies, binging new shows, cooking a new dish, doing a puzzle, learning a new skill or language, cleaning out your house (one room at a time), changing up your hair, or even learning a TikTok dance.
The most important thing to realize is that this is temporary. As hard as it is to believe, eventually this will pass. Your Coronavirus related fears won’t be here forever. If you’re still struggling to find light please reach out to someone or call: 1-800-273-8255 (Suicide Prevention Line)
Remember, life has only been put on pause. It hasn't stopped altogether.
love, Sof
P.S. Wear a FCKING mask. Getting into the facts and figures of how deadly this virus is will be saved for another blog post (even though you shouldn't need further convincing). People are dying due to you lack of consideration and empathy for humanity :-)
Support Local Businesses
Covid-19 has affected business all around. A lot of my friends are extremely talented and hardworking. I really wanted to showcase their businesses because they’re deserving of your support! Each business I’m about to mention is unique in it’s own right. If you have time, please check them out!
Makeup By Samira: Certified free-lace makeup artistry based in Houston, TX.
Contact 281-795-8222 E-mail: samirarafiq61@yahoo.com Website: makeupbysamira.com Instagram: @_makeupbysamira
Beauty in the Beat: Makeup Artistry of Zavi & Samreen. Beauty in the Beat is here to only inspire love, positivity and female empowerment 💪🏼💕 There is nothing more stunning to us than inner beauty, and that starts with having a kind soul that embodies self worth and confidence. Every soul has a canvas, and makeup is just a detail to add to your already painted world 🌍 We express creativity in our work while your pure hearts and intelligent minds are the ones that really shine through 🌞✨Makeup is truly empowering to us, and we wish to make everyone feel just as beautiful as they already are with that touch of color (and a bit of blending 😉). Along with posting our creative work, we are big sharers! We love to share makeup deals, inspiration, self love and self care tips! We understand beauty and self love go deeper than than just the surface and exemplify different levels of diversity and inclusion. We wish to promote good vibes and acceptance in loving yourself and spreading that love onto others! 🥰❤️
Contact 281-866-5143 E-mail: beautyinthebeat99@gmail.com Instagram: @beauty.in.the.beat
Don't Sweat It Clothing: Customized apparel suited for you!
Contact Etsy: http://dontsweatitclothing.etsy.com/
OvertheMoon Creationz: A small business that focuses on personalizing items such as clothing including onesies and shirts, wedding mirror/signs, and baby announcements.
Contact Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/overthemooncreationz Instagram: @overthemooncreationz
ZeeKaykes: Gourmet cupcakes made to order for any occasion. Contact Website: zeekaykes.wixsite.com/cupcakes/ Instagram: @zeekaykes
Smallcakes Spring: Gourmet cupcakes, homemade ice cream, cookies and custom cakes. Location: 1614 Louetta Road Suite C, Spring, Texas 77388
Contact 281-907-0007 Instagram: @smallcakesspring
Esscentials Candle Co.: Small business selling hand poured scented candles.
Contact Instagram: @esscentials_co
Khushbu Candles: Homemade scented candles. I also take custom scent orders!
Contact They can contact me on my personal Instagram @riduuuuu or @khushbucandles
bobaera|Boba From Home: bobaera was created with one thing in mind: providing the luxury of enjoying boba tea from home. We are a group of boba connoisseurs creating the best way to enjoy delicious boba tea at home. We noticed how expensive and inconvenient getting boba tea from your local specialty boba bar became so we created bobaera. Contact E-mail: info@bobaera.com Instagram: @bobafromhome Website: www.bobafromhome.com
FTG: Clothing (brand)/Luxury apparel
Contact Instagram: @ftg.htx Website: ftgshop.com
HennaByHumam: Henna artist based in Spring, TX. I do bridal henna and party henna for any occasion. I also make custom candle decor as well as mehndi plates.
Contact E-mail: hennabyhumam@gmail.com or message me on Facebook/Instagram: @hennabyhumam
Blissfull Boards: We are a small Houston based business that specializes in luxury charcuterie boards and platters! We are all about inclusivity, and our goal was to create charcuterie that everyone could enjoy! Therefore, all of our meat is 100% Zabihah Halal, and we also offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options. We also do grazing tables for special events like weddings, birthdays, showers, graduations, corporate parties, and anything else you can think of!
Contact You can reach us directly on our various social media platforms, or even e-mail us directly at: blissfullboards@gmail.com Instagram: @blissfullboards Facebook: www.facebook.com/blissfullboards
CardJar: Luxury customized invitations and gifts crafted to perfection.
Contact Instagram: @cardjar
Texas Forever (Channelview, TX): Hey there folks, this here is an American style, Southern hospitality, restaurant. This full size restaurant has a menu full of items with variety and flavor. We have a full size bar, and our bartenders are waiting for you to come in and sit down with us. Here at Texas Forever, we serve everything Texas! From Texas size burgers to your Texas favorite, chicken fried steak! Come in and see us any day of the week during our business hours, or join us for patio karaoke every Tuesday.
Due to Covid-19, the restaurant industry has been hit hard. We encourage takeout and
delivery for your own safety, but we miss our customers. So y’all come on in- just remember to be practicing healthy and safe habits! At Texas Forever, we are taking extra precautions in keeping each and every surface disinfected with cleanings happening every 15-20 minutes. Our staff has always made cleanliness a priority, however we are
encouraging both waiters and cooks to wash their hands and working areas as often as possible. We are offering take out and delivery via delivery apps. Dine-in, is also an option, however with limited capacity.
Location: Texas Forever, 17124- B, East Fwy, Channelview, TX77530, United States, Houston, Texas 77530
Contact (832) 694-2440 Live updates on our Facebook: Texas Forever Bar and Grill
Texas Forever Express (Houston, TX): Hello you all, folks cherished our full size restaurant so much we had to open an express flame grill, we are opening up fast and in all size locations for our customers. At Texas Forever Express, we offer a selected menu, catering to our customers in the area. We have both sweet and savory breakfast options, and some authentic lunch specials! Come and see us!
Location: 13600 Beechnut St, Houston, TX 77083
Contact (832) 379-3446 Live updates on our Facebook: TX Cafe & Grill
My friend Sana is about to launch an embroidery business taking custom orders. "I've always done embroidery. It was a hobby, but now hopefully a successful small business. I take custom orders whether it's an embroidery wheel, a pouch/drawstring or a frame. I'm going to be dropping different types of collections like a wedding collection, country collection etc." Follow her on Instagram for more updates: @sanun1
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