My pre pandemic cool boots now hurt my feet, Time to bid them goodbye and rethink what “pretty” will look like in a changed world.

TL;DR

A state of "flow" is when you lose yourself in an activity—one that is challenging , enjoyable, and lets you monitor progress toward a specific goal.

At least 40% of people surveyed have reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health.

Achieving a “flow state” by focusing on positive activities may be important in supporting your mental health and building resilience during these months of isolation. Researchers (in a study published last month) found that people who achieved a state of flow felt less lonely and more positive during isolation in the COVID pandemic.

This is my most recent drawing. I love working in charcoal; it’s loose, forgiving (read:erasable!), messy, expressive…

Dr. Vivian Fischer spent five hours Saturday walking toward Minneapolis’s devastation from her home in a suburb immediately outside the city. The family physician put on gray scrubs, her stethoscope, a mask and gloves, filled a backpack with whatever she had at home — extra masks, medical gloves, asthma inhalers, bandages, tweezers to pick glass out of cuts and water, and went to see where she could help.

Standing in the middle of a crowd of protesters in Minneapolis last Thursday, Dr. Vivian Fischer felt a mix of grief, rage, solidarity and fear. The local Jewish resident and her 16-year-old son Max took to the streets to join those calling for racial justice.

The old joke goes, “I married him for better or worse, but not for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Perhaps you’ve noticed stress on your relationship or marriage as the prolonged quarantine goes on - you aren’t alone.

Under this extended period of isolation, support agencies and attorneys are reporting a surge in calls about both divorces and domestic violence. Many couples are struggling to manage the stress of this quarantine…. this time is taking a toll on even the healthiest of relationships, even more on those that are already stressed or shaky.

So how can you protect your relationship, and your sanity, while in “lockdown” with a partner?

Resiliency - it looks different on everyone.  We are all feeling the fatigue of the prolonged stress of the COVID pandemic. Social isolation, uncertainty about the future, masking, loss of our routines and joys. It is exhausting. Trying to be “resilient” during this time can feel uneven. Give yourself some compassion.