Dealing With the Pressure to Make Up for a ‘Lost’ 2020

Even as we're starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, many are still feeling down and struggling with mixed emotions about making up for lost time.

Let's take five minutes to see the week in a new light. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Dealing With the Pressure to Make Up for a 'Lost' 2020   For months, we wondered when a glimmer of light might be detected at the end of a very long tunnel. That light is starting to emerge for many, but as it grows brighter, some of us are struggling to feel genuine happiness.   "We know from previous pandemics and disasters that the psychological footprint is often longer and more intense than the medical one," says Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, chief psychiatrist for Columbia University Medical Center.   Many are still feeling very fatigued by the past year, so the added pressure to make up for lost time can leave many people feeling emotionally depleted—like they have no reserve." — JEFFREY A. LIEBERMAN, MD Here's how you can work on those feelings:   Reflect Identify sources of your current stress and distress, then acknowledge those feelings, label them, and recognize them as valid.   "Acceptance of this uncertainty caused by the pandemic— and our range of emotions in response—is the first step in moving forward," says Dr. Lieberman. Practice Gratitude  Focusing on lost time can create feelings of regret and frustration, making it difficult to feel joy. Dr. Lieberman recommends practicing mindfulness through meditation. He says gratitude can also help us stay present and reduce stress. Reset We might have lost sight of goals we set for ourselves prior to the pandemic. As we move forward, resetting our goals and committing to them is key. Start simply by focusing on healthy sleeping, eating, and movement, while leaving time for other things that bring you joy. Ask for Help "Many of us experienced significant stress, social isolation, considerable trauma, and loss over the last year," says Dr. Lieberman. "Asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness—and an important act of self-care." Seeking help from a friend, family member, partner, or professional therapist is essential to healing and moving forward.   On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week What's Inspiring Us Trying to practice more gratitude? "A Year of Positive Thinking: Daily Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage" by Cyndie Spiegel is an easy-to-digest book that features one positivity prompt per day. You can use it in conjunction with a gratitude journal and/or make it part of your daily ritual. Actor Dax Shepard has launched a new weekly podcast called Nurture vs. Nurture, with social-clinical psychologist Dr. Wendy Mogul. In each episode, Dr. Mogul speaks with a new set of parents in a therapy session, allowing the listener to go on that family's journey while absorbing practical advice they can utilize in their own lives. Ways to Nurture Your Mind and Body CopeColumbia, a program developed by Columbia University to assist faculty in managing pandemic-related stress, fear, and anxiety, has identified key questions that can help us reflect on the past year and heal.   Take a moment this week to ask yourself the following questions. You can even discuss them with someone else, such as a friend, partner, or therapist. What have you learned during this time that is helpful? What are the silver linings of the pandemic? What are things you can plan for that are positive? What brings you joy? Products to Help You Feel Your Best Vivaya is a new streaming service that has one mission: to help you find your inner calm. It offers a wide range of live-streaming and recorded sessions. Examples include mindful yoga flow, health coaching, guided visual meditation, and hypnosis healing. Stress balls are tools that you squeeze in your hand to help curb anxious fidgeting and eliminate negative thoughts and feelings. With help from a mental health counselor, we created the list of the 10 best stress balls out there. Kids can benefit from learning mental strength exercises, too. Our Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin has a new book, "13 Things Strong Kids Do," which goes on sale Tuesday, April 6. You can pre-order it now to get some cool pre-order bonuses.   The Latest from The Verywell Mind Podcast   How to Make Your Mental Health a Top Priority With Peloton Instructor Kendall Toole Kendall makes it clear that your mental fitness is just as important as your physical fitness and she shares great strategies for working on your mental health every day.   Friday Fix: How to Stop Giving Away Your Power It's tempting to blame other people for stealing your time or making you feel a certain way. This simple but effective exercise will help you start taking back your power.   Tune in for tomorrow's episode to meet Mallory Weggemann, a paralympic gold medalist who will help you redefine your limits in life.   Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Read These Next 7 Things to Do When You Feel Emotional READ NOW How to Navigate Peer Pressure in Light of COVID-19 READ NOW These 7 Techniques Can Help You Sleep Better READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. 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