It’s a lot isn’t it?
I mean, I know we’ve all been waiting for hospitality to open properly, for us to be able to go out. For classes in gyms to be back. To see friends and family. For normality.
But if it’s all feeling a bit much, you’re not alone. Because it is, on all fronts.
I mean, people can be dicks. If you’ve been on public transport, or into a shop recently, you’re allowed to be pissed at those who are apparently immune to the pandemic, wearing their face masks as chin straps (or like the lad at my gym who covers his nose, but uncovers his mouth).
I know that those I love in hospitality will come across a few of them over the next few weeks. Those who don’t want to check in with the app, even though it puts the license of the venue at risk. Those who forgot their mask, don’t wear it, or who didn’t book, but want space for the ten people in their family.
Those who bought an exemption lanyard on eBay, just so they didn’t have to wear a mask, even though it exists to highlight hidden disabilities.
There’ll be those braggy ones who you’ve not seen for 18 months, who can’t wait to tell you they’ve spent the pandemic learning Mandarin, or started making all their own clothes, whilst running marathons for charity, and you and millions of others were focussing on surviving.
And then, because we’ve lived in joggers and pyjamas, letting our roots grow, there’s the body stuff.
There’s the feeling that our bodies aren’t good enough. Anyone else seen the massive upsurge in diet adverts in the media? They’re even on the streaming services, the ones where you can’t turn over or fast forward through. Instead you get some self righteous prick suggesting they got skinny, and you can do it too. Usually someone with money who probably has a personal chef, all day to spend in the gym, and the money for a fancy personal trainer too.
There’s wearing ‘normal’ clothes again. Bras. Tights. Heels. Shirts and ties. If they fit. Which they might not. Bodies change. It’s normal. It’s what they do. They might change back again. Or might not.
Because surviving a pandemic wasn’t enough, you now need the perfect body, wardrobe – we have to have achieved, been productive, all the while muddling through, dealing with illness and loss. I’ve lost 7 people over the last 12 months.
Again, it’s a lot.
So consider this a reminder. A reassurance. I’m saying this to myself as much as I am to you.
If all you did was lived through, it’s ok.
If you want to go out, but can’t yet. It’s ok.
If you’re worried about the new variants, and feel like another lockdown is coming and it will be too much, it’s ok.
If you were a superhuman productive machine through lockdown and did all the amazing things, but now feel exhausted. It’s ok.
If you feel self conscious because your body changed, or your mindset changed, or the world changed around you, it’s ok.
If you feel nothing or even all of the above. It’s ok.
Feeling wobbly, unsure, sad – just feeling is valid in any case. But in the middle of a pandemic – in the middle of a globally catastrophic event, you’re allowed to feel whatever you feel.
Take your time. Be kind to yourself, as well as others. Because normal might take some getting used to.