Staying sane when everything is insane
This is a post written by 4 hands: Mimi Hayes and Ilana Lipsztein
This is not the first time I’ve been quarantined.
In 2014 I suffered a stroke at the age of 22. After diagnosis, I was basically put on house arrest. My brain bleed wasn’t contagious, but I was advised to stay inside for 4-6 weeks until the hemorrhage healed.
So I watched Netflix, called my friends, and basically never changed out of my pajamas.
My life as a 20-something was effectively canceled. No more blind dates. No more bars. No more adult job. Just me and my sweaty pj’s.
However, as the weeks went by and Netflix asked me if I was “still watching,” my body began to deteriorate. An emergency surgery was booked, and from there I was confined to a hospital bed in a rehabilitation center for a few more weeks.
Unlike my isolation at home, the hospital quarantine was strictly enforced. It was real. So real that I had to take a swab test for several common viruses and had to remain in my room so as to not infect anyone else. When I left the room for physical therapy, I had to be covered head to toe in hospital protective gear. I felt like a stupid germ. A stupid germ with a broken brain.
It was hard for me to sit still, as it always has been. My parents love to say my “hair is on fire” because I’m always running around trying to do everything.
But the truth was, I was trying to distract myself because I was scared.
As a young person, I consider this one of the defining moments of my life. One that forced me to consider my mortality before I even knew what that was. It forced me to reflect, and to sit with my tough feelings.
Life as I knew it would never be the same.
The experience shook me from my roots and redefined who I would become.
Having this history, I look at the current situation a little differently than I would have had I not encountered insurmountable fear at such a young age.
I know that this is temporary. While we all feel powerless, there is a light at the end of all of this.
We will heal and we will take control of what we can, which is truly just our own thoughts and behaviors. We are all responsible for ourselves.
We all cope in different ways, but our energy radiates and impacts those around us.
Things will change. And hopefully we will adapt to our shared trauma by being more empathetic, understanding, and kind to one another.
For young people, some of whom have never experienced this level of global chaos, here are some things I did to keep me positive during my first quarantine 🙂
- Use your phone as a positive space
In 2014 Ebola was the big one. And all I had to do was scroll through Twitter to read all about it’s scary numbers. Instead, I took to Snapchat (you kids still use that, right?) to send funny hospital videos to all my friends at 3AM. We didn’t have Tik Tok back then, but if we did I would really have been a hit. - Take up a new hobby!
While I was stuck in my house with my broken brain, I wrote a book! Can you believe that! A whole book! I never liked writing before, but when you can write about anything you want it’s actually pretty fun. - Exercise
This one was a bit hard for me at the time, but I went on a LOT of walks with my friends and family members. I actually wasn’t allowed to go by myself so that meant I always had a walking buddy!
(Ilana’s note: There are several online apps that you can exercise at home with no equipment. 7 for exemple is a great one!) - Virtual Hangouts
If social distancing is hard for you, I get it. I like being around people too! But thanks to a bunch of new apps like Zoom, HouseParty, Facetime, and Instagram Live, you can have virtual get togethers with anyone you want. - Take a class!
Just because school is canceled doesn’t mean you can’t learn a new skill! After my brain hemorrhage I started taking an online pottery class. Not only was it challenging and fun, but it made me feel inspired to create new things.
We have been quarantined. My whole family, friends and everyone else on the planet including our children.
Until last week, our brains were busy with our youngest daughter, Julia, 17th birthday party and her college applications. I can say that with four kids, three living in different states, we had a lot to worry about.
My husband and I considered this to be a very stressful year for her as she is currently a Junior.
Until everything was canceled. The economy tanked, people have been laid off and the scenario seems to me, a revival of the great depression. It is truly a state of emergency.
It changed overnight.
We, like everybody else, would never think the unthinkable. The whole world would be confined to our homes.
The news popped on the screens and the invisible enemy was out there to get everyone. A virus so contagious and dangerous that no one could figure out yet how to kill it. And tests are still not available at large.
What about our teenagers? What will happen to them?
Julia has been very active and always running around busy with catching her dreams before they run away.
As we are all paralized in front of our TV screens, our teens are terrified.
I can see fear in Julia’s eyes as she tries to socialize with her scared friends from afar.
Life as we knew it will never be the same.
We are living historical moments that will define who the next generation will be.
Our teenagers are facing the most extreme fear that one can have.
We all feel powerless.
The new Generation Z was born to make this a better world, caring for our environment, human rights, and creating an inclusive society.
As a parent I feel the pressure to not let my fear bring me down. When I show Juia signs of depression, she feels scared. I am responsible for keeping my daughter’s hopes up while we are all locked inside our apartment.
The way we cope with the situation impacts our children’s.
These are difficult times for everyone, especially for our teenagers. We need to pay close attention to how we help them at this time.
Although it may be difficult to distract ourselves during these difficult times, we must try.
If you are reading this post, congratulations and thank you =)
** Ilana’s footnote: If you need recommendations for online classes let me know and I’ll be happy to recommend some top professionals in music, writing, dancing or school tutoring.
It takes a village but we will make it. See you on the other side of the tunnel!
Be sure to learn more about Mimi Hayes in her website, and also check out her books!
About the Author:
Ilana is a journalist and entrepreneur from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is passionate about helping people find their voices and pursue their dreams. It is never too late to start and never too early to change.
