If there's one thing that really hit home during the Summer Olympics, it was a new focus on emotional well-being. We have become accustomed to observing seemingly superhuman athletes without understanding the internal struggles they face on the day-to-day. We were inspired by one of our favorite role models, Simone Biles, and her conviction to prioritize mental health and safety. As a new school year begins and many of us return to school or to work in the office, we need to do the same. Things are different, and if there's one thing that comes out of the global pandemic, it should be a renewed sense of self. 

We've been doing some reading about how to look after ourselves this fall as we re-enter spaces and reconnect with faces we haven't seen in person in awhile. Here's a roundup of what we found: 

1  RE-ENTRY ANXIETY is real. Our fear of getting back out there and the possibility of catching or spreading COVID can feel dangerous and rightly so. Add to that our rusty social skills and it all adds up to a lot of discomfort. Just acknowledging and accepting the source of our stress and anxiety can help us to face it.

2  KEEP A HABIT. Did you start taking daily walks during quarantine? Meditating? Cycling? Going to sleep at the same time every night? Try to keep a good habit you picked up and make it a non-negotiable.

3  ACCEPT WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. You can do certain things to keep yourself and others safe, but cannot control what others do. If you feel unsafe in a situation, take the initiative to leave. 

4  PRACTICE WHAT YOU MIGHT DO in situations that could arise. Play out in your mind what you will do if you encounter something you're worried about. Just having a plan will ease the anxiety.

5  WELCOME CONSTANT CHANGE as part of your new normal. Accepting that things are always in flux allows us to stop resisting and start adjusting.

6  REKINDLE YOUR WARDROBE. Get excited to change out of those sweats and add some fun prints to the mix. Looking and feeling good is a great way to ease into the groove.

Are you going back to work or school? How are you feeling about it? Let us know! hello@joinyesand.com