If you’re a human being living in 2020, you are probably feeling like the ‘rona (as my husband and I have dubbed it) has made you rather world weary.
Our lives have been irrevocably changed — everywhere you turn there are masked faces and social distancing signs. In the midst of a global pandemic the human race has been thrown into a great period of uncertainty.
As someone who thrives on routine to manage her anxiety and stress and suffers from illness-related anxiety disorder, it feels like I got thrown into the deep end of the pool with no floaties and lifeguards that are deaf. Once in a while, I resurface gasping at the fresh air and flailing desperately for a helping hand — a signal of hope.
And, I am one of the lucky ones. I don’t have children to school in the middle of the workday, I managed to find a job in the midst of a pandemic, and the people I care about are able to work from home. Not to mention, my greatest source of stress is making sure my in-laws and parents take precautions consistently and seriously enough.
But, my heart hurts. My best friend — pregnant with her first — has largely been isolated. I haven’t been able to hug her and rub that belly and tell my niece that I can’t wait to meet her. This child may be walking before she may even see me smile at her.
I’m paranoid. I’ve been sick twice and had to have my wisdom teeth taken out during this time. Both times I was down for the count, that thermometer got a helluva workout and that little nagging voice in my head of “what if” was ever present. And the idea of going through oral surgery during a time where that’s considered extremely high-risk did a number on my anxiety levels.
I miss my coping mechanisms. I’ve written a lot about them and how they serve me well. Adjusting to being face to face with my husband 24/7 in an 800 square foot apartment, finding new ways to keep myself physically healthy in a 3 x 5 space, hearing about the hundreds and thousands of deaths both near and far to me hasn’t been easy. This isn’t easy on any of us, no matter our experiences.
So, when Ohana Wellness shut down at the beginning of the pandemic and month after month went by with no sign of a reopening, I thought for sure my body (and mind) would finally give in. And that I’d just feel “unwell” until this whole thing was over — whenever that would be.
But, the universe always knows what its doing — those five months gave Saya and the team of incredible women at Ohana Wellness time to get all the right safety measures in place so we could finally take hold of that helping hand reaching for us from the deep end of the pool.
Was I nervous? Of course, this pandemic is all consuming, all around, and all anyone hears or talks about.
But, I trusted Ohana and I know that I need therapeutic bodywork to stay my most healthy self — physically and mentally. Spoiler alert: everyone does, it’s science! Ohana does it all seamlessly:
✔ Social distancing
✔ Masks at all times
✔ Hand sanitizer at every corner
✔ Temperature checks
✔ No waiting in the waiting room
✔ Managing the ingress and egress of people
✔ Extreme cleanliness standards
✔ Kindness, safety, and care
And somehow, even with all that (very important) rigamarole, I still felt that relaxing energy the moment that door opened for me.
For the first time in months, I felt the constant tension that’s been living in my mind and body slip away further as I melted into the table.
In this perpetual state of anxiety and stress on a global level it is important for all of us to remember that our self-care is now more critical than ever.
Ohana Wellness is here in partnership of our collective health. Trust in them, in the power of the work they do, and in the commitment they have to healing and health.
