It’s been a difficult year for all of us. When I stop to think that it has been almost a year now since COVID-19 reared its ugly head in my personal world, I’m shocked at all the hardships we’ve gotten through. We all had to adjust to working from home, schooling at home, not going out to eat or to the movies. We’ve isolated for close to a year now. We’ve socially distanced ourselves, used gallons of hand sanitizer until our hands chapped, and we’ve refrained from any physical contact with even our close family members. This was in addition to all the trials of everyday living!
That kind of change wears on a person. It changes your routine. It changes how you rest, how you shop, how you see friends, and even how you feel about simple things like a trip to the store. Some days it may feel like you are fine, and then other days you realize how tired you are. That is normal. If you have felt that way, you are not alone.
For those of us with disabilities, it’s been especially difficult. We often don’t have the resources that others have to get us through hard times. Finances are often tight living on Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security benefits. We are often isolated by our disability, yet we’ve gotten through! We are survivors, and we know what adversity is. We’ve faced it in the past, and we’ll certainly face it again, but sometimes we need to just stop and say “I’ve made it,” even if we haven’t yet reached the end.
That is not bragging. It is an honest look at what it takes to keep going. Survival can be quiet. It can mean getting out of bed, making a phone call, filling a prescription, or asking for help when you would rather not. It can mean making it through one more day when you are worn out. Those things matter. They are part of how we get through hard times.
A lot of people are hitting the wall now that we’re nearing a year of COVID-coping. It’s daunting to think about how much more we might have to go before enough of us have the vaccine to protect us, and before we have enough vaccines to cover all the types of the virus. But, my friends we’ve made it so far! We may not be out of danger yet, but we know now what to do. We’ve recognized that we need each other in order to survive, and we’ve learned we can depend on each other when times are hard.
Hitting the wall can feel different for different people. For one person, it may look like anger or tears. For another, it may be numbness. For someone else, it may be trouble sleeping, trouble focusing, or just not caring about things that used to matter. If that sounds familiar, try to slow down and name what you need. Maybe you need a break from the news. Maybe you need a walk, a call with a friend, or a plan for the next few days instead of the next few months. Small steps can make a hard time feel more manageable.
It’s been a year of learning, with many silver linings to balance the hardships we’ve endured. Yes, we lost people we loved. But perhaps we love a little more freely now. Many of us lost our jobs, but we learned new ways to survive and in some ways, we’re stronger for it. We learned that the news could report on how brave and willing our healthcare workers are to sacrifice for others. We hit the wall, but we survived. With teamwork and ingenuity, a vaccine was developed for the first time in history to stop a worldwide pandemic! There are awesome stories coming out of these times, and we have lived not only through them, but we’ve lived in them, with grace. That’s a pretty cool accomplishment!
Even in a hard year, there are ways to help yourself keep moving. A few simple habits can make a difference:
- Keep a routine when you can. Get up, eat, rest, and go to bed at about the same time each day.
- Break big tasks into small parts. You do not need to do everything at once.
- Stay connected. A phone call or text can help you feel less alone.
- Ask for support before you are at your last bit of energy.
- Give yourself credit for what you did get done.
If you are having trouble with disability-related needs, you do not have to figure it all out alone. Disability Network Lakeshore can help. Our services are free, and we serve people with disabilities in Ottawa and Allegan counties. We help with advocacy, information and referral, peer support, skills development, and transition services. That can include support with emergency readiness, Social Security disability, social participation, veterans, employment, nursing home transition, youth services, and assistance animals. Sometimes just having someone to talk through the next step with you can make the road feel less heavy.
You may not need every service, and that is okay. Sometimes a short conversation is enough to point you in the right direction. Sometimes you need help finding a community resource, understanding a process, or thinking through what to do next. That is part of what independent living is about: having the right support so you can make your own choices.
If you are feeling worn down, I hope you can pause and see how far you have come. This past year has taken a lot from all of us. It has also shown us strength we may not have known we had. We have learned to adapt. We have learned to ask. We have learned to wait. We have learned to keep going. That matters.
And if you need help, please reach out. Disability Network Lakeshore is here for you at no cost. Call us at (616) 396-5326. We are located at 442 Century Lane, Holland, MI 49423. Sometimes the next step is just making the call.
Helping others live lives less complicated by disabilities takes people and resources. Support like yours helps us continue helping others struggling to navigate disability resources. 90% of your donation goes directly into services to individuals, their families, and our community.
Make A Donation Today!
Donate Today To Make a Difference!
Helping others live lives less complicated by disabilities takes people and resources. Support like yours helps us continue helping others struggling to navigate disability resources. 90% of your donation goes directly into services to individuals, their families, and our community.
Make A Donation Today!