Mental Well-Being in a Pandemic Part I
A lot of people are pointing out how cushy this isolation period is: stay home, watch TV, read, start a fun hobby or project, eat snacks... boy, sure is rough!
What some people might be forgetting is how privileged that mindset is. So many are struggling finding a balance as they work from home and homeschool their kids, and some are having to cope with being laid-off. That's a lot of stress and fear. I've gone through periods where I wasn't sure if I'd make the next month's rent...and that was without an invisible virus lurking over my shoulder! It takes a toll on mental health when you don't have that security of knowing you have a place to live in the future because you can't help but worry.
I'm incredibly fortunate that I still have a job and income to pay my bills right now. It hasn't always been easy, but right now I do feel valued by New Belgium and have so much gratitude that I am not burdened with added stress right now. And if I were to get sick, I've got good health insurance. To top it off, New Belgium started a relief fund for people in the hospitality business in Fort Collins and Asheville (click the link to check it out!).
Here is my point: The peace of mind I have really puts things into perspective when I think about how this country is being run. Shouldn't we all have access to a safe place to live and reliable health care so we can stay well? Why has minimum wage stayed the same and rent only gone up and up? I used to work for a company that punished us for using sick leave, and our safety was at risk because people would come to work when they should have stayed home. People without health care can't afford to get sick because they need to go to work, but that's so unrealistic to expect of anyone! I am happy and proud to see my company reach out to those in need, and it is a reminder that there is good in the world. Our priority shouldn't be "getting back to normal" or putting business before people; what if we were able to make sure we felt safe and well first? I think that's a good place to start!
What some people might be forgetting is how privileged that mindset is. So many are struggling finding a balance as they work from home and homeschool their kids, and some are having to cope with being laid-off. That's a lot of stress and fear. I've gone through periods where I wasn't sure if I'd make the next month's rent...and that was without an invisible virus lurking over my shoulder! It takes a toll on mental health when you don't have that security of knowing you have a place to live in the future because you can't help but worry.
I'm incredibly fortunate that I still have a job and income to pay my bills right now. It hasn't always been easy, but right now I do feel valued by New Belgium and have so much gratitude that I am not burdened with added stress right now. And if I were to get sick, I've got good health insurance. To top it off, New Belgium started a relief fund for people in the hospitality business in Fort Collins and Asheville (click the link to check it out!).
Here is my point: The peace of mind I have really puts things into perspective when I think about how this country is being run. Shouldn't we all have access to a safe place to live and reliable health care so we can stay well? Why has minimum wage stayed the same and rent only gone up and up? I used to work for a company that punished us for using sick leave, and our safety was at risk because people would come to work when they should have stayed home. People without health care can't afford to get sick because they need to go to work, but that's so unrealistic to expect of anyone! I am happy and proud to see my company reach out to those in need, and it is a reminder that there is good in the world. Our priority shouldn't be "getting back to normal" or putting business before people; what if we were able to make sure we felt safe and well first? I think that's a good place to start!
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