Resurgence
Thoughts during a lockdown, again
Last Saturday, September 11, the total confirmed number cases of COVID-19 was 26,303–the highest-ever recorded cases in the Philippines.
Yesterday, Sunday, it was at 21,411.
These numbers despite the continuing lockdown in Metro Manila and other areas since August.
I also am seeing more (in my social news feeds) of hospitals overwhelmed, reporting “full capacity,” and understaffed, as nurses and doctors leaving or deciding not to renew their contracts.
Some good news, however, came from the #ManilaLGU, after it announced that 12 to 17 year olds can now register for vaccinations.
Coping with this resurgence of cases is hard for most of us now.
Businesses are reeling from having to close for weeks again with this government-imposed lockdown.
Essential workers have to deal with the risk of getting infected, as the Delta variant of this deadly virus spread within the local communities.
The Philippine economy is stumbling, while allegations of widespread and unbelievable corruption (tens of billions of pesos unaccounted for) plagues the most critical department in government.
Leaders are fumbling, with some taking out their anger and frustration on the very community that is helping save lives.
Languishing
How are we coping with these bad news?
Some choose to ignore them and focus on good things.
Some go to social to release their frustrations.
Some are flexing their creative muscles, doing art and some writing (just like this one).
Whatever the means, this feeling of lacking motivation, losing sleep, and the inability to concentrate is called languishing.
According to organizational psychologist Adam Grant, languishing is the dominant feeling this 2021. It’s not depression. It’s not even burnout. It’s simply feeling empty, stagnant.
“It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield,” Grant wrote for New York Times.
If things are not getting any better–and looking to be dragging on, it is expected that most of us are languishing.
“Part of the danger is that when you’re languishing, you might not notice the dulling of delight or the dwindling of drive. You don’t catch yourself slipping slowly into solitude; you’re indifferent to your indifference. When you can’t see your own suffering, you don’t seek help or even do much to help yourself,” Grant added.
How to Cope
The first order in dealing with a problem is recognizing the problem. In this case, knowing that you may be languishing. By knowing, you’ll understand that you are not alone in this feeling; and that it is good to talk about it.
