I'm reaching an age now where I'm well into the groove of what might be a mid-life crisis, with various health issues, deaths on both sides of the family, and various work pressures. I question the purpose of my existence some days.
This thread is a timely reminder that I probably need to start talking to someone.
And I did! Fucking hell hasn't a couple of years gone fast... All sorts of shit going on in my family life and I've spent a bit of time in the counsellor's den, having a chinwag.
Anyway, that aside: this is a stressful time. We've got a bunch of flamin' galahs in government in three major Western democracies, a pandemic running around, and the economy getting a dose of the double fist.
First rule of Covidia: eliminate the stress factors that you can.
For those who might be looking askance at their finances and wondering how its going to go, my advice is: don't hesitate.
Those with a mortgage should absolutely be checking their bank's website for loan deals etc. Tell your relatives, friends, and neighbours to do the same. There might be criteria, there might not. But if your bank is anything like mine, they're offering 3-year fixed rates at discount on owner occupiers paying P&I.
Second rule of Covidia: we're all in this together.
Those who are struggling with the general anxiety thing need to seek help. A lot of workplaces now offer contacts or paid services for this, tho you'll probably only get them over the phone at this point. Check in with your partner, your family, and friends regularly.
The isolation will affect everyone differently, but if you're a bit of a social butterfly, remember:
1) Technology is an enabler - get creative with social interaction/pissups
2) The harder we hit COVID in the goolies, the quicker it goes down
3) It WILL be over at some stage
Getting to the other side is probably going to suck a fat one, but I hope once we get there, we're a little better off as a society.
In the meantime, my advice is to try and be a better person when you are out in the big wide world. Be generous with your praise of the poor bastards working in your local supermarket because they are getting fucking smashed at the moment when things change by the hour.