Mirror Mirror
Nowhere to run
Throughout the pandemic, most people across the world have been confined to their residences. I was not aware of the psychological undertaking that would proceed with lockdowns.
At first, I felt almost invigorated by this idea of space and pause in life. I could think clearly about who I was and where I was going when this all ended. I could spend time with family as we all resided within the same house.
However, after three months, something started to change. Day in and day out, I would take a seat in the same chair. Watch the same videos. Do some monotonous tasks to pass the time.
The honeymoon phase was over.
The internal critic had immerged and centered itself in the hours of endless thought loops. We all can fall into negative thinking patterns here and there in life, but typically we have schedules and tasks that break the cycle.
A mental balance had been severely disturbed, and now there was nowhere to escape. Eventually, this transpired into bouts of insomnia as echoes of the past claimed the forefront of my mind.
My once friendly mirror that glanced at me before work to wish me a good day had now become enemy number one. Nose too big, stomach to round… you get the point.
The thing is, I was forced to sit front and center with everything that I had consciously or unconsciously swept under the rug. Nothing would distract from the realistic view of the person reflecting in the mirror: scars and all.
Until I recognized this healing process, it was hard to make peace with the past, myself, and situations out of my control. If you’re reading this and have felt the same, I implore you to turn inward. Although difficult in the short term, making peace with yourself is not something we are taught in grade school. Now might be the best time for you to do just that.
