It's okay to say it's not okay

It's always been the case but perhaps more so these days that one the most courageous things you can do is to admit you need help or that you're just not feeling good.

I don't think anyone has made it out of the last half year without some sort of hit to their normal self. I consider myself very lucky in that the only perceived change I have noticed is simply putting on about 8 kilos. Some of that has been simply not having anywhere to go (the local gym closing) but there probably was some low level mental slump as well and there's nothing wrong with that.

I've also been fortunate to recognise which direction I was going in and be able to turn it around. Both in weight and general demeanor. It's still hard sometimes to watch your country completely get it wrong on its response to covid-19 but it does help to try and take a more positive approach and see that it would be very suspect if this was the one thing they actually got right.

Anyway, if you are reading this and you have been finding yourself down and finding things harder to deal with. Reach out to friends and family. If you don't have friends and for some reason (perhaps you've immigrated such as I have and family is not easily accessible), then there's no shame to reaching out to charities, various organisations or online communities.

Your situation won't be unique and there will always be others you and reaching out to them and simply talking about it might help. If it doesn't and you need further help, there's no problem in that either. It happens to everyone at some point in life.

Samaritans