Enter phase two of life. Like many other challenging periods of change that have occurred throughout human history, the Covid pandemic has both given refinement to ideas as well as reaped destruction. The difference between now and any other time in modern history is that people have had to relearn how to be alone. Due to the advancement of technology, simply put, we have never been alone. Not truly. At least those who subscribe to having a smartphone anyhow and working a job requiring any sort of community engagement. Before 2020, there was FOMO. As I write to you in the final hours of 2020, as a society we view events through a lens of “when I.” Gone is the “what if’s” that plagued our college or gap year decision, the promotion at work, the five-year plan. These words have been replaced by present tense loneliness, and overstimulation, all from our beloved technology.
It was not surprising in the least that when the second wave of Covid was announced I heard in confidence that there was an excitement about shutting down. To many, shutting down the first time was a much needed period of rest for the mind, body, and spirit. A time where it was okay to be reflective and to stay in sweatpants and take a break. However, this was because many of us never knew self-care until it was mandated. We have been in this fight for ten months now. There is obvious emotional exhaustion that is both felt and expressed daily on social media. Sometimes poking fun at rather heavy things is the best coping mechanism for those who are hurting. The real question is; who is hurting, and why?
As someone who specializes in creating self-care plans for clients, the most obvious aspect for me is that “when we are alone, we are sad” here in America. Like it or not, we have a dependence on human attention. If we aren’t getting the attention we need from our partner, we get a different one. Not enough from our friends, we make new friends or sink deeper into social media for comforting posts about rebounding. What we think we need is attention, but what we are truly seeking is recharge. Similar to building a social life, being healthy takes a team. Typically you might have a friend to who you tell secrets, but there is a difference between confiding in someone and using a friend as a place to release your emotions. Typically your partner might be the one who tries to go deep with you about trauma, but is your partner always the right resource for healing that? Exercise is an important part of feeling well and getting stronger, but what happens when sport becomes about coping and not about improvement, and love of the activity? What happens when the passion is all but gone, and you don’t know why you started doing something in the first place?
All of these things come down to balance, and you cannot achieve balance without help. As fulfilling as it may be to do something on your own, when you try to take on your life without a wellness team, burnout is imminent. If not just burnout, beginning to use substances as a crutch. Excessive eating, vaping and smoking, drinking, and retail therapy are a few of the more common crutches. When crutches become involved, your wellness begins to plateau. Learning to replace crutch habits is very challenging, so if you see yourself starting to burnout or plateau it is time to reach out and seek help from a practitioner. Massage therapists, personal trainers, acupuncturists, and therapists are all great places to begin building a team. No one practitioner can do everything, but building a network for YOU is essential to surviving both this period and living the life you want to live. It is okay to not feel okay! Receiving and accepting help and care is so essential to achieving your goals, and it’s normal to be unsure of that initially. If you are used to doing everything solo, suddenly accepting help is going to feel awkward and foreign. It may even feel like you are burdening your practitioner, but rest assured every good practitioner has a team they have built for themselves.
Here are some great practitioners who can help you build your team that I can personally refer you to:
Dylan James LMT- Incline Wellness- Manalapan, New Jersey
Type: Sports Massage Therapy
Instagram: @incline_wellness
Brantz LMT- Built Bodyworx- Taylorsville, Utah
Type: Sports Massage Therapy
Instagram: @builtbodyworx @brantzw
Motus Physical Therapy- Santa Ana, California
Type: Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation
Instagram: @motusspt
Contact: 949-891-1325
Allegra Paris- New York, New York
Type: Personal Training, Online Classes, Wellness
Instagram: @allegraparis
Andrew Alvarado LMT- Bodywork Professionals- Albany, New York
Type: Structural Integration, Massage Therapy
Contact: 518-389-2200
Jammella Anderson- Albany, New York
Type: Doula, Yoga Instructor, Wellness Education
Instagram: @jammella
Hannah Mossop- Albany, New York
Type: Holistic & Herbal Practitioner, Acupuncturist
Contact: 518-859-3697
Temporarily closed or limited scheduling
Chieko Vititow PT- Albany, New York
Type: Manual Physical Therapy
Contact: 518- 545-1401
Myron James LMT- reefRX
Type: Medical Massage Therapy, Online Clinic Sessions, Touch Association & Trauma Release, Energy Work
Instagram: @reefrxathletics
Contact: reefrxmedical@gmail.com
reefRX 