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This has been a bad year for lots of us. It just feels like there’s this malaise in the air, that is affecting everyone and everything. I know a couple of other people have noticed this separately from me. It’s strange because the Corona virus didn’t even seem to hit Adelaide as hard as lots of other places.

Even so, people seem to have less energy, be less optimistic, and be going through rough times. It’s especially strange facing this going into the holidays which are supposed to be a really happy time.

The problem with something going wrong is that it can cause something else to go wrong, then something else, and something else, and something else. Negative feedback loops that get out of control and are hard to resist. We lose structure in our life due to the virus, we feel existentially distressed, we don’t have face to face socialisation to deal with it, so we become snappy, which puts pressure on our relationships, which leads to more issues, and so on and so on.

Maybe this general feeling  is part of a broader reaction to a feeling that the world is crumbling. There’s so many messages of all the worldwide issues going on, and it just feels like there’s nothing we can do about them. So we’re plodding along, but it’s hard to not be miserable while we do it. The corona virus pushed a pressure point in culture, relationships, the news cycle. Maybe it felt like a reminder that everything is going to hell, and it’s too late to stop it.

Let’s pretend that perception is accurate. That we really are headed to an inevitable end of the world. There’s a tv series where a meteor is headed to the world and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Lots of people quit their jobs, lots of people get depressed, lots of people go out and party. 

The thing is, we are heading towards the end. I think the best way to get through it would be to be happy . It would be hard, but maybe facing the end of the world with joy is the best way to go. Trying to help others out, and cheer the world up a little bit. Just a thought.

For tips and more information on positivity, check out the Wellbeing Hub.