It’s hard to believe it’s been well over a month since we all got here to campus! Over the upheaval of the last 18 months with quarantines and restrictions around us, all I wanted was for us to get back to campus safely and for things to be normal. However, it has been a bigger adjustment than anyone expected and has been quite challenging physically, socially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
For me, it’s been a series of ups and downs where my emotions got the best of me, yet rationally and logically everything was fine. My immediate response was to criticize myself for feeling so upset and losing my momentum. But life, like any journey, is not a straight, linear path to progress or recovery. It’s filled with highs and lows and ups and downs. It’s in those ups and downs that real growth occurs. Once I became acutely aware of these patterns, I started to allow myself to accept my emotions, fears and the uncertainty. Embracing my emotions gave me the permission to feel sadness, and transformed my emotions into guideposts – reminders of when I need a little break to put some space between my emotions, my feelings and the reality around me.
Our feelings are valid because we experience them – don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Give yourself a pat on the back for making it through month one! Be proud of yourself and remember to make yourself a priority because each day gives us an opportunity to try again and do better now that we know better!
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