2020 was a unique year. It was a year full of uncertainty, quick changes, lack of freedom and having to follow rules that kept you inside your house, separated from the people who are important to you. When you thought that everything was getting better, the facts told you otherwise. The pandemic has been an emotional rollercoaster for most people. You probably thought that 2021 would be different, and hopefully it will be. Although things still look the same at the beginning of this year, there is now hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
During the pandemic, have you experienced frustration, sadness, anger or anxiety, or even all these feelings at the same time?
Frustration is the emotion that you feel when you are not able to do what you want to do, especially if it is something that you are looking forward to and you almost manage to do it but then, for some reason, you are not able to.
You are usually prevented from achieving what you want to do by something outside of your control that you cannot change. When you are not able to change a situation that you do not like, this causes frustration.
This probably sounds familiar to you as we are now dealing with the third lockdown. It has been a year since restrictions started: restrictions on what you can do now and on what you can plan for the future.
Planning a holiday is important for lots of people. It is something to look forward to, it is exciting and can allow you to escape for few days from the cold and dark weather or to tolerate the winter, knowing that at some point you will be in a warmer place doing exciting things.
It is frustrating not knowing whether plans you make will happen and, for some people, planning and booking holidays is too risky at this point because of the uncertainty. So, it is a time where there is more frustration than usual in your life.
How do people usually describe frustration?
When people talk about frustration, they usually say that they feel useless, powerless or that they want to give up. Some people experience sadness, low moods, rage, anger or become irritable and others feel annoyed.
Can frustration be useful?
Frustration is not a bad thing if you are able to stop and listen to it. It can be useful as it can show you something that needs to be changed, or it can motivate you to be creative and find a solution to a problem that you previously thought could not be solved.
To start being creative and find solutions, you need to have the mental space to think about what is going on and to analyse the situation and what has been happening around you. Some people find it hard to get themselves into this place because other emotions, like anger or sadness, get in the way.
How can you transform frustration into a useful situation?
Understandably, a lot of people are now feeling that their resources to deal with frustration and unpleasant emotions are exhausted.
They are unable to deal with their feelings and are desperate to see life getting back to normal. So, if you are unable to find creative solutions to deal with the current situation, it is worth reflecting on your own emotions, how you are dealing with them and whether you have enough resources to do this.
Reflecting on your own emotions can be a big task so, if you feel that this is hard to achieve, feel free to ask for help. You can use the box at the end of this article to send me your questions and comments or request a free 15 minute telephone conversation.
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