Opinion

If you are not having dark, depressing thoughts as of late, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Nearly everyone you speak to feels either frightened, angry, out of control, or like they are losing what’s left of their mind. Don’t you wish losing weight was as easy as losing your mind?

The morning news just said: “Today has been canceled. Go back to sleep.” Hopeful for the New Year? What with those canceled trips, burying loved ones without a proper funeral, postponing celebrations, and living on Zoom…Rrright. Feeling downbeat, discouraged, and dreary? Well, whatever you do, don’t quit your daydream. You already know what giving up feels like; try seeing what happens if you don’t.

Stuck in the past? Just jump into a cold shower and wash off all the muck and mud from this past year. Easier said than done, you say. True. But I’ll bet you would stand a chance on American Idol if you could bring your shower on stage. It’s not exactly a cinch to dust yourself off and try again while the mainstream media insists on reminding you of “Covey” every ten seconds.

Ever see people who can simply do everything, and you think: “I should have them do some stuff for me”? Do you feel perpetually strained, stressed out, or shell-shocked these days? Trust me, there is nothing righteous or self-respectable about self-sacrificing and ignoring your own needs to the point of neglecting yourself. Do you regularly put everyone and everything above your own needs, even at the risk of your emotional or physical health, at times? It is high time to stop nourishing your inner martyr. No need to drown, being everyone else’s anchor, sweet friends.

Looking for certainty? Well, you know what they say: There are only three things in life that are certain: death, Adobe updates, oh, and taxes. Speaking of which, the nicest feeling is when you receive a tax refund, until you realize it was your own money in the first place. But seriously, you may feel that every time you “get with the program,” someone changes the channel.

We all know people who seem to have the emotional intelligence of a rock. Are you one of them? Even friends or loved ones can at times become preoccupied or insensitive, leaving us feeling abandoned, lonely, and unappreciated. How can you hack it and hold your own?