I hit a breaking point last night. Rather than positivity, I was filled with negativity. The glass was half empty. Why?
It was my fourth official breaking point since COVID19 started--I think that's a fairly good record since the year has been challenging in countless ways.
What precipitated the break? It was a series of messages, news reports, and situations which all came in a matter of hours--none of which were positive or empowering, but instead challening and troubling.
This happens to all of us from time to time. Before any damaging words or decisions were made, I gave into the frustration and just watched a good PBS show instead, and as always, after a good night's rest, I'm renewed and ready to move ahead.
The key with those breaking points is to give yourself a break--take some time off of the daily routine and get some perspective. I coach myself with these words all the time, but when a flood of frustrating events comes at once it's sometimes difficult to remember this.
So what to do about the challenging information?
National News
Bottom line, I'm fed up with the Trump terrorists, haters, and obstructionists--they waste our time, they waste our hard earned tax dollars, they waste our lives, and they act with self-serving ignorance at all times. These are oppressive individuals who work against the common good day in and day out. I cannot believe that people support them in any way.
On the other hand, the Biden team is working tirelessly to clean up the Trump mess, and put the United States back on course--this is promising, and I don't want to forget that. I have to focus on that good work, and not the Trumpian deadly freak show that so many White male supremacists foster day in and day out.
Social Services
I'm one that likes to think that social services are there for times and people when needed, yet COVID19 has demonstrated the multiple inefficiencies and neglect that exist in countless social services. This is frustrating and worrisome. I've always been a believer that if something is not working, you need to fix it, but when big systems that service millions are broke, it's difficult for one person to jump in and make change. As I would often remind myself as an educator, no one is superhuman, and instead of trying to fix the entire system, you have to do what you can--find the areas that you can impact with positivity and strength. This is easier said than done when you face a systematic issue that appears overwhelming at times.
So, once again, I'll right my direction with the focus on what I can do rather than the giganctic systematic failures I've been noticing lately.
Relationships
With the perspective of time, it's easy to project what you think others should be doing, but then you have to remind yourself that everyone is challenged for time and capacity especially in this difficult COVID19 year--no one is superhuman, and you have to accept people for who they are and what they can do--you can't meet them with too many expectations--everyone needs some time and space these days. It's important that we tread easy and put maintaining good relationships ahead of too many, short-lived, and likely oppressive expectations.
So, when times become oppressive to any one of us, it is time to take a break, gain new perspective, and see things anew. Throughout the pandemic year, I've had to do this now and then, and that's what I'll do this week--that's valuable.