Hugs

I find myself doing a lot of this these days: Yay! Oh no… and Hooray! Yikes… and Woo-hoo! Uh-oh…

I’m not unique in this; everybody I talk to has similar feelings. We’re living in times of extreme emotions.

Even if we shield ourselves from the news, avoid social media, stay away from the TV and internet, we can’t ignore the ups and downs of our own lives. For most of us, that now includes some type of impact on our jobs or our health (or both) – if not to us directly, then to someone we know, someone we love.

When I’m feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, my go-to comfort is a hug. I’ll take a hug, or I’ll give a hug. Or both.

It doesn’t fix things, but it does help. It centers me, slows me down, and reminds me to breathe. I stop thinking about what’s going on in my own head and, instead, focus on the person on the other side of the hug. In that moment, everything is better.

Right now, real hugs aren’t always a good idea. But the value of that kind of emotional connection hasn’t changed.

So, if you, like me, are feeling a little bit of emotional whiplash right now, caught between hope and worry, optimism and skepticism, courage and fear, this cuppa is for you. Come back whenever you need another one. I’m happy to share.