Feeling all the feels

As the restrictions due to COVID-19 continue, and work continues to be home and home continues to be work, it’s been really interesting to notice the shifts in myself, my family members, and my clients. 

As for myself, at times I’ve been aware of feeling very grateful – for the opportunity to continue to work remotely, to not have to commute, to have extra time with my husband and son, to have extended library loan periods. 

And at other times I’ve been aware of feeling very frustrated – with constantly trying to juggle work and child care, with switching hats multiple times throughout the day, with not having enough time to get ‘all the things’ done.

And at other times still, I’ve been aware of feeling sad – about my son not seeing his friends, about not seeing my friends, about having to cancel travel plans, about being too far away from my ill mother.

I’m not fully successful at it every day, but I have noticed that what has really helped is being able to recognize that all of these feelings can coexist. I can feel grateful AND frustrated AND sad AND whatever else shows up that day. And that I am still allowed to feel whatever is showing up. That it’s okay to feel frustration even if I haven’t lost significant income right now. That’s it’s okay to feel grateful even if I also feel sad. 

And that my husband, son, friends, family, and clients also have permission to feel what they are feeling, and to have a whole range of emotions, which can all hang out together. (staying 6 feet apart, of course!)