How to Part Clouds
How to Part Clouds
I don’t know about you, but it’s been hard to focus lately.
Anxiety is coming at me at multiple angles these days, and I won’t pretend a huge percentage of it isn’t election-specific. My everyday low-level anxiety feels like a welcome treat compared to that particular source of stress.
I know I’m not alone in feeling extra anxious these days. What’s been pretty nice about this month, though, is how many cloud-lifting moments October has provided for me, as if it knew I’d need them. One of my favorite podcasts is Pop Culture Happy Hour, and I got inspired by their weekly segment, “What’s Making Us Happy,” for this month’s newsletter. Partly because it’s been hard for me to focus on writing anything at all, but also because I realized this is important too. (Shared joy = great anxiety-reducer!) Here are some highlights from the month that’s helped alleviate my anxiety, and if you have any of your own to share, I’d love to hear about them!
Spooky Season.
Dead colorful leaves and every house in my neighborhood decorated with giant skeletons? Sign me up. Throw in some Mallomars and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups shaped like bats? Yes, please. There’s always been a special place in my bleeding heart for the macabre and strange, and October is when it all gets put on display for me to, quite literally, walk around in. (And yet, much like the vampires on Buffy, I prefer staying in on Halloween. Go figure.) Not the spooky type? That’s OK. It’s also sweater weather, and Hallmark movie season is right around the corner. (But please let us weirdos enjoy our time first.)
Old Friends.
Last year, I wrote about reaching the age where a lot of my friends are fleeing the city for greener pastures. This month, I’ve gotten to reconnect with several of those friends - whether it’s because they were visiting or I was visiting or we’re meeting up somewhere in between - and it’s been lovely. Not only is seeing friends in person always an anxiety-lifter, but it’s been a nice reminder that even though eras end, the people from those eras are still in my life, and I am very grateful for that.
Comfort Watches.
In between horror movies and another Practical Magic rewatch, I’ve been finding joy in funny, comforting shows like Somebody, Somewhere and Abbott Elementary, both recently back for new seasons. The new season of The Great British Baking Show is also, as usual, a delight. Colin from Accounts, Only Murders in the Building, and What We Do in the Shadows are other happy-making shows with slightly more of an edge to them, but not a very sharp one so you can still go in for that hug.
Breaking Up With Social Media.
To be clear, social media and I are still dating. We’re just not serious anymore. This is a key distinction, and somewhat of a journey for me that I’ve written about before (here and here). Finding the right social media balance for myself just in time for the election has been a gift to my mental health, and I am seeing the full benefits of it this month in particular - a time I’d usually be doomscrolling and losing sleep to stew over some probably fake statistic I just read. It’s not that I live in a vacuum. I still see things I don’t like or agree with, and I think it’s important to see differing opinions. Seeing the occasional post I don’t agree with, or ones that force me to confront my own biases, is quite different from the daily barrage of hate, fear-mongering, and outright lies I’d see when I was active on Twitter and Facebook. Not wanting to live in a bubble does not need to mean subjecting yourself to all of that. These days, my only social media profiles are a private Instagram account and a public Bluesky account I use sparingly, and I’m not missing out on anything.
Self-Care Fridays.
The way my schedule worked out this month meant I had no new editorial clients starting in October. As a freelancer, skipping entire months with no new clients is not a habit I want to start. But this is the first time in a very long time that it’s happened, and thanks to some financial relief through a part-time job, I decided to enjoy it. I dedicated Fridays in October to my own writing, spending a little longer at the gym, or just letting myself have an extra long morning with coffee and a good book (that I did not also have to edit). It’s been restorative. I am happy my regular client work starts back up again in a few days, but I do need to remember that the occasional break is, in fact, a good thing. (I realize not everyone has as flexible a schedule, but I highly recommend doing some version of this for yourself wherever it fits into your week, even if it’s just an hour that can be 100% yours and yours alone.
We’ll get through this, friends. Whatever it is. See you on the other side.
FUN STUFF:
What I'm Reading: Dragon Palace by Hiromi Kawakami
What I'm Watching: Somebody, Somewhere (HBO)
What I'm Listening To: Norma Tanega Radio (a perfect October playlist!) and This Unearthed Chopin Waltz (!!!)
What I'm Eating: Banana bread