Thread by @BStulberg

This is about as good and honest of an essay as you'll read on navigating the emotional swings, self-judgement, hope, despair, and ruts of the pandemic.

I am so glad that, of all things, this here twitter feed provided some help for @lindsaycrouse.
nytimes.com/2021/03/07/opi…

"You don’t need to feel good to get going. You need to get going to give yourself a chance to feel good."

This insight—the basis of acceptance and commitment therapy—changed my life.

It is so counter to the cult of positive thinking and wellness. But it's what actually works.

The stuff Lindsay writes about—judging herself for feeling good some days and then judging herself for not feeling good on other days—is a common refrain during COVID-19.

This pandemic has been challenging for so many people in so many ways. EVERYONE is going through something.

Lindsay's insight: "I was a little disappointed that his advice wasn’t as novel as my problem felt. I’d started to believe that to feel better, I had to hack, or spend, or distract..."

Spot on. A big challenge of trying to be truly well in a consumeristic, "look at me" society.

Lindsay wrote about it far more elegantly, but in short: so much of self-care and so called wellness is bullshit.

Wellness is not a lotion, potion, or pill. It is not a diet. It is a lifestyle.

It is having your basic needs met. And having some autonomy, mastery, and belonging.

To be clear, I don't have this stuff all figured out. I write and coach on it TO figure it out.

Thank you again, @lindsaycrouse, for including me in this personal essay. Everyone should read it. It's real, blunt, and straightforward. Exactly what we need.nytimes.com/2021/03/07/opi…

If you are interested in more insights I've found helpful in these kinds of situations, you may want to check out this thread. 🙏

https://twitter.com/BStulberg/status/1353709403061547009?s=20