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In the last 2 weeks, we have experienced many emotions, including
- Anxiety,
- Fear,
- Sadness,
- Anger,
- Compassion for the sick and less fortunate,
- Admiration and gratitude for the nurses, doctors and frontline workers.
- And many more.
Since the events have been changing so quickly, you might have cycled through each emotion several times in a day.
In addition to those emotions, I had another feeling that I couldn’t pinpoint: I would remember an activity I use to do regularly, such as..
- Going to my local Starbucks and being greeted by the friendly barista
Or
- Spending a Saturday afternoon wandering around a book store.
Then get a pang in my chest, and really miss those things. I mentioned it to a few friends and family to see if they were experiencing anything similar. They didn’t seem to know what I was talking about.
I am a highly sensitive person and so feeling things other people don’t isn’t new to me.
But then Harvard Business Review (HBR) published an article called, ‘That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief’
That was it. Grief was the emotion I was feeling but hadn’t been able to name. I am grieving my old normal life with its everyday routines.
In the HBR article, they interviewed grief expert David Kessler. He says we are collectively grieving…
- The loss of normalcy
- The loss of connection
- The insecurity of the economy, and the fears it brings.
In addition, there is a type of grief called anticipatory grief where we feel uncertain about the future.
I don’t know about you, but being able to name something really helps me!
Have you noticed you are grieving too right now?
Keep safe, I am thinking of you!
Warmly,
Jacqui
