Don't forget to relax too

roadracer247 said:

I've been around these forums for a while now. So I feel like I can say this around here. That said, I'm not a public speaker. I don't represent anyone but myself. It feels a bit awkward to post this way. But I do deal with the public for a living and have been for years. There are some things that I wish I could help more people see before they go too far down that rabbit hole in their own heads.

Believe me or not, that's up to you. But there has been and there most definitely still is a major spike in depression and anxiety throughout all levels of society. Doesn't matter what level. Seriously, it's affecting everyone. Myself and everyone else I know. And we need to take some action to make some changes in our own thought process, so are better equipped to handle the future. Because it's coming regardless of what you or I want...

We've all been affected by this lockdown. It blows. We've lost touch. We lost loved ones. We've lost friends The markets are crazy. Politics are all over the place. But please don't forget to chill the **** out too. Take a breath. This country has been through worse in the past. We will make it through this time too.

Market's go up and they go down. If you're down, get back up. Don't worry, you'll recover.

My point is to take some time to enjoy the day. Keep smiling. It's okay to feel happy and keep up a positive outlook in uncertain times. Listen. It's true that positivity is infectious. If you can put a smile on your kids face today, or on your significant others face, or even just a friend, then consider the day a win. Give yourself that small victory. It's important to acknowledge the small things.

One last thing. President's come and go. The parties jump back and forth. And we survive every time. The world is still spinning. The sun still rises every morning.

That's all. Thanks. And yeah I felt ****ing awkward writing this. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. And I don't have all the answers. I make mistakes just like everyone else. But I feel like I get an opportunity that most people don't get to see and that's society from our "first responder" perspective. You see people in every kind of situation. You do meet some interesting ones. But there's more and more people struggling with just day to day life. I hope my post doesn't get taken the wrong way. Anyway, I just felt like I had something that was worth sharing. Have a good day.

If this wasn't for you, sorry for the long rant.

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ShelbyGT5HUN said:

Great post, OP! Also, stay off social media!

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MFE said:

I like this sentiment and the time you took to post it, but I'd LOVE to see how different the mental health is between hard lockdown states and lighter touch states.

Two things: First, I ran an endurance race this weekend outside of Tucson with an organization based on the west coast. Their drivers meeting addressed masking and social distancing this way: "We're from the Bay Area. We're lucky we even got to leave our house. Now we're in Arizona for the first time and your Governor just removed the last of your restrictions. Obviously, you do you, use your judgement and what suits your comfort level. Just please, please, be careful about what you post on social media with pictures showing large numbers of people not masked or social distancing, because not everybody out there is as understanding." Scared to death of the business ramifications of not being a good Comrade.

Second, I recently read a terribly sad article about a town in New Mexico very close to the Texas state line. And about how NM was completely locked down, no school in person, no high school sports. But just a few miles away in TX, schools open, sports being played. Star high school football player coming into his senior year when college scouts are supposed to be looking...can't play. He goes to games in TX just to watch, he's recognized. Like, why is this kid in the stands and not on the field? School and sports are this kid's life. Ends up killing himself over what amounts to an arbitrary delineation with basically ZERO statistical difference in outcomes.

This whole year has sucked in a lot of ways, but living in AZ, and being a good mask boy and now fully vaccinated, I can't even imagine what it's been like to live in a hard lockdown state.

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CobraBob said:

Yep!!!


One thing I would believe related to your post (and it's a good post). The MSM has a lot to do with the emotional state of citizens in a state. Those states (mostly Democrat governors) that are heavily or even moderately locked down are usually aligned with the fear-mongering spewed by MSM. They believe AND fear what they hear. I see it every day here whether I'm in a store, walking on our bike/walking path, or anywhere public. You feel like you are stricken with some noticeable disease. People avoid contact, won't talking to you, won't even say hello. They just want you AWAY from them. Now I can live with that because I know they're driven by fear, but a lot of people can't handle what they see/feel as rejection/avoidance. And that plays heavily into the mental health of society.

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CobraBob said:

Yep!!!


One thing I would believe related to your post (and it's a good post). The MSM has a lot to do with the emotional state of citizens in a state. Those states (mostly Democrat governors) that are heavily or even moderately locked down are usually aligned with the fear-mongering spewed by MSM. They believe AND fear what they hear. I see it every day here whether I'm in a store, walking on our bike/walking path, or anywhere public. You feel like you are stricken with some noticeable disease. People avoid contact, won't talking to you, won't even say hello. They just want you AWAY from them. Now I can live with that because I know they're driven by fear, but a lot of people can't handle what they see/feel as rejection/avoidance. And that plays heavily into the mental health of society.

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MFE said:

I like this sentiment and the time you took to post it, but I'd LOVE to see how different the mental health is between hard lockdown states and lighter touch states.

Two things: First, I ran an endurance race this weekend outside of Tucson with an organization based on the west coast. Their drivers meeting addressed masking and social distancing this way: "We're from the Bay Area. We're lucky we even got to leave our house. Now we're in Arizona for the first time and your Governor just removed the last of your restrictions. Obviously, you do you, use your judgement and what suits your comfort level. Just please, please, be careful about what you post on social media with pictures showing large numbers of people not masked or social distancing, because not everybody out there is as understanding." Scared to death of the business ramifications of not being a good Comrade.

Second, I recently read a terribly sad article about a town in New Mexico very close to the Texas state line. And about how NM was completely locked down, no school in person, no high school sports. But just a few miles away in TX, schools open, sports being played. Star high school football player coming into his senior year when college scouts are supposed to be looking...can't play. He goes to games in TX just to watch, he's recognized. Like, why is this kid in the stands and not on the field? School and sports are this kid's life. Ends up killing himself over what amounts to an arbitrary delineation with basically ZERO statistical difference in outcomes.

This whole year has sucked in a lot of ways, but living in AZ, and being a good mask boy and now fully vaccinated, I can't even imagine what it's been like to live in a hard lockdown state.

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CobraBob said:

Relaxing and b.r.e.a.t.h.i.n.g are definitely important. My wife and I take a walk on our town's walking/bike path every afternoon now. It's conveniently right behind our house. Peaceful. Quiet. A breath of fresh air. We also talk bike rides on the same path. We absolutely need the break every day. Once a week we go to our special QUIET restaurant. Another little getaway. The worse thing any of us could do is retreat to our homes after work and do nothing. A dull routine just compounds the isolation issues. Oh, and we love to laugh, now more than ever. We look for ways to laugh. Laughter IS great medicine.

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