Here's Why You're Feeling Up & Down During COVID-19 [CHCH TV]

As a guest on CHCH Morning, I explored the five stages of grief, how they impact you, and how acknowledging your own process can help you to maintain connection, and find empathy for loved ones as you re-emerge from social distancing.

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As a global collective we are experiencing grief; Grief for the life we had before the pandemic, before the sudden change that turned our routines, and lives upside down. With grief comes a feeling of uncertainty - what will life look after we emerge from all of this? Emotionally? Economically? Spiritually?

According to Elizabeth Kubler Ross, there are five stages of grief. Here are some example of what grief may be looking like for you during the pandemic (and beyond):

Denial: This virus won't come to our country, this social distancing won't last long, etc.

Anger: This isn't fair, small businesses are going under, too many people are suffering, etc.

Bargaining: If I stay home then it will go away, if I find ways to control (homeschool, clean, organize) it will get easier, etc.

Depression: This isn't going away, I don't know how to do this, I feel heavy and sad, etc.

Acceptance: This is happening and I will learn and grow from this, find a new normal, integrate this grief/change into my personal story, etc.

Grief is not linear. It often doesn't make "sense". You may feel creative and full of energy one day, and sad and confused on another. You may experience spurts of energy followed by days of lethargy. There is no ONE way to experience grief. It will comes in waves. Honour your process and resist the urge to "hustle" and to do all of the things. Imagine if someone you loved passed away. How would you respond? Would you move forward as if nothing had changed or would you look at life with fresh eyes?

Be gentle with yourself and with each other. Especially since you have kids home and that is next-level stress (for real...love them to bits, but this is a lot). You are doing the best you can with the unbelievable circumstances that have been presented to you.