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Back to 'normal': Have you changed?

135

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 664 ✭✭✭Flyer1


    I trust media far less.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,411 ✭✭✭✭woodchuck


    I've become a mere shadow of my former self.

    The best thing about my job was my colleagues and I haven't seen them now in over a year due to working from home.

    I used to do volunteer work every other weekend, which I loved and involved interacting with dozens of people over a few hours. Now I'm lucky if I speak to more than one human being per week in person.

    I've postponed my wedding twice already. If we're lucky enough to go ahead for our 3rd date in September, it's incredibly unlikely that our siblings will be able to come because they live abroad. I haven't been able to motivate myself to book a honeymoon in Ireland yet. All the joy has been sucked out of the occasion and replaced with uncertainty and anxiety.

    I had worked hard to lose weight, but it's never ending fluctuations in the wrong direction the past year.

    I honestly don't know if I'll ever feel like myself again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭Antares35


    woodchuck wrote: »
    I've become a mere shadow of my former self.

    The best thing about my job was my colleagues and I haven't seen them now in over a year due to working from home.

    I used to do volunteer work every other weekend, which I loved and involved interacting with dozens of people over a few hours. Now I'm lucky if I speak to more than one human being per week in person.

    I've postponed my wedding twice already. If we're lucky enough to go ahead for our 3rd date in September, it's incredibly unlikely that our siblings will be able to come because they live abroad. I haven't been able to motivate myself to book a honeymoon in Ireland yet. All the joy has been sucked out of the occasion and replaced with uncertainty and anxiety.

    I had worked hard to lose weight, but it's never ending fluctuations in the wrong direction the past year.

    I honestly don't know if I'll ever feel like myself again.

    Oh god, I actually sometimes forget I'm engaged until someone mentions weddings! :( We were lucky we hadn't booked anything so we can hold off planning until we see what the horizon is like, but I'd rather get married this side of forty! :D

    Could you do a small intimate wedding (think the fun of eloping) and a big celebration after? I had thought about that at one point.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,251 ✭✭✭speckle


    I will probably write a longer reply later but

    The one thing I will change is I want even more hugs from whoever feels ok to give or receive them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    SnuggyBear wrote: »
    It's really not

    Definitely is!

    Things I know for a fact to be in my future:

    Giving my mother and the rest of my loved ones hugs.

    Spending time with all of my friends in the one place.

    Getting back to the gym.

    Holidays

    Gigs

    Festivals

    Fully attended weddings.

    Going to the cinema

    Meeting the lads in the pub for delicious pints.

    Your future might not be bright, but mine is gonna be blinding!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,851 ✭✭✭✭Beechwoodspark


    Personally I feel subdued/flat after a year of this

    I’ve been exercising more. Drinking much less. Rediscovering the simple joys of pet dogs, DIY, movies and music.

    That’s the plus side now for the minus....

    Have had an ex manager who was sacked for - misrepresenting his experience and skills, borderline fraud/deception of the company, try to “weasel” his way back into my life by offering me opportunities to invest in his start up.

    One night he rang me under influence and accused me of “causing” his sacking when I had nothing to do with it. His inadequacies were clear after a number of weeks.

    He was literally making up sales report figures after a while.

    I have refused to invest in his new start up yet he still WhatsApp’s/rings me.

    Causing me stress as I was delighted to see him out of my working life. I dunno, sometimes just happy to wish him a “happy life” and never hear from him again.

    I’ve been subjected to huge angry tirades from ppl in my work on an almost weekly basis. Won’t lie- I’ve given as good as I got with both barrels.

    also petty rows with the wife and family are becoming more regular

    Also random “fall outs” with friends and neighbours over fairly minimal stuff

    Had one good friend get into a “one sided” whatsapp argument with me re taking vaccines off the uk if offered. He said friendship was over - next day he messages me as if nothing had happened!! I chose to ignore the previous nights BS.

    Had a neighbour angrily scream at me last sat morning at half 9 that he still had to receive my contribution to a neighbourhood project

    Felt like cursing him from a height but instead bit my lip and gritted my teeth.

    Anger like that is not normal on a Saturday morning of the Easter bank holiday wkend.

    It really is getting to people more and more

    Gahhhhh- sorry for the long post , just needed to vent I guess

    Brighter days ahead folks - chin up


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,804 ✭✭✭Sirsok


    There was a busker on the Parade in Kilkenny with a ukulele having an absolute blast with three random kids dancing along busting out moves.

    Feeding off each others energy.

    Fecking cheered me right up and had a bounce in my step for the day.

    I'd like to think ill be able to appreciate stuff like this when everything returns to "normal"


  • Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭dublinbando


    Personally I feel subdued/flat after a year of this

    I’ve been exercising more. Drinking much less. Rediscovering the simple joys of pet dogs, DIY, movies and music.

    That’s the plus side now for the minus....

    Have had an ex manager who was sacked for - misrepresenting his experience and skills, borderline fraud/deception of the company, try to “weasel” his way back into my life by offering me opportunities to invest in his start up.

    One night he rang me under influence and accused me of “causing” his sacking when I had nothing to do with it. His inadequacies were clear after a number of weeks.

    He was literally making up sales report figures after a while.

    I have refused to invest in his new start up yet he still WhatsApp’s/rings me.

    Causing me stress as I was delighted to see him out of my working life. I dunno, sometimes just happy to wish him a “happy life” and never hear from him again.

    I’ve been subjected to huge angry tirades from ppl in my work on an almost weekly basis. Won’t lie- I’ve given as good as I got with both barrels.

    also petty rows with the wife and family are becoming more regular

    Also random “fall outs” with friends and neighbours over fairly minimal stuff

    Had one good friend get into a “one sided” whatsapp argument with me re taking vaccines off the uk if offered. He said friendship was over - next day he messages me as if nothing had happened!! I chose to ignore the previous nights BS.

    Had a neighbour angrily scream at me last sat morning at half 9 that he still had to receive my contribution to a neighbourhood project

    Felt like cursing him from a height but instead bit my lip and gritted my teeth.

    Anger like that is not normal on a Saturday morning of the Easter bank holiday wkend.

    It really is getting to people more and more

    Gahhhhh- sorry for the long post , just needed to vent I guess

    Brighter days ahead folks - chin up


    You will find that the vast majority of people are absolute morons :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,942 ✭✭✭sporina


    speckle wrote: »
    I will probably write a longer reply later but

    The one thing I will change is I want even more hugs from whoever feels ok to give or receive them.

    here's a big warm virtual hug from me to you :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,495 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    The article below is interesting........the kind of article I would have written if I could find the words and make the effort, but I just feel beaten lately.

    An interesting article that makes some valid points. Its such a shame that we have to live at the whim of a single issue "advisory" group who never at any point in this pandemic have paid any regards to silly things like people, or their lives.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,892 ✭✭✭the kelt


    There’s absolutely nothing that’s changed for me that I have any intention of keeping.

    I’m more depressed

    I’ve become more bitter

    My mental health has suffered

    I’ve become more cynical

    My family life has suffered, my kids suffer through the lack of social interaction as they were two kids who were in to everything, every activity they could, every camp they could. Now we get a lot of tears a lot of the time

    My father who lives with us is now a shell of the man he was a year ago, annoyed, scared and missing friends visiting and him visiting others, he’s that generation who’s life revolved around visiting others houses.

    I drink more, never drank at home only would get out for a few pints every couple of weeks mainly to just have a catch up with friends to talk ****e, now I drink at home to break up the weekend from every other day.

    Fitness wise I know all my local forests and walks, been running them for years so that hasn’t changed, I remember meeting people a year ago who literally lived in this area all their lives and were asking me for direction around the local forests etc, kinda couldn’t get my head around it, how did they not know these places already, I’m still doing what i always done only a little less as it can get far too busy sometimes so just leave it off, loose dogs, kids on quads etc.

    The ironic thing is I’m better off financially, have more money in my pocket, even got a promotion and have been working away through all of this. Have a lot more spare money than I ever had.

    Worth it?

    Not even close!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,293 ✭✭✭VonLuck


    As the year has passed I have gone from feeling oppressed to depressed. I find the lockdown extremely hard this time, and very damaging to my mental health and that of a lot of friends and family. I miss human contact a lot, laughter, hugs, fun, positivity.
    I rang my most upbeat positive funny friend today and she said she no longer has any motivation and feels lost. She said she just has nothing to talk about anymore. It shocked me. I think the damage from these unnecessarily long restrictions is enormous and we will pay a huge price as time goes on.


    The article below is interesting........the kind of article I would have written if I could find the words and make the effort, but I just feel beaten lately. I walk, run, cycle and swim in the sea. I haven't put on weight, probably lost a bit. I've tried my best to keep busy but I'm depressed.
    No wonder most of us are angry, depressed, disillusioned, frustrated and sad.
    We have suffered hugely at the way this has been handled in Ireland.

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/04/why-ireland-has-the-most-miserable-lockdown-in-the-western-world/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    While I know it's tough for a lot of people, the thread is about how the whole experience will have changed you by the end of it, not giving out about restrictions! Be nice to distract ourselves from some of the misery.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,033 ✭✭✭✭Richard Hillman


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Definitely is!

    Things I know for a fact to be in my future:

    Giving my mother and the rest of my loved ones hugs.

    Spending time with all of my friends in the one place.

    Getting back to the gym.

    Holidays

    Gigs

    Festivals

    Fully attended weddings.

    Going to the cinema

    Meeting the lads in the pub for delicious pints.

    Your future might not be bright, but mine is gonna be blinding!

    So you meant the future is bright for you. You probably should have mentioned that.

    For a large section of the population the future is bleak and nothing but bleak.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    As the year has passed I have gone from feeling oppressed to depressed. I find the lockdown extremely hard this time, and very damaging to my mental health and that of a lot of friends and family. I miss human contact a lot, laughter, hugs, fun, positivity.
    I rang my most upbeat positive funny friend today and she said she no longer has any motivation and feels lost. She said she just has nothing to talk about anymore. It shocked me. I think the damage from these unnecessarily long restrictions is enormous and we will pay a huge price as time goes on.


    The article below is interesting........the kind of article I would have written if I could find the words and make the effort, but I just feel beaten lately. I walk, run, cycle and swim in the sea. I haven't put on weight, probably lost a bit. I've tried my best to keep busy but I'm depressed.
    No wonder most of us are angry, depressed, disillusioned, frustrated and sad.
    We have suffered hugely at the way this has been handled in Ireland.

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/04/why-ireland-has-the-most-miserable-lockdown-in-the-western-world/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    Why do people keep referencing that source on this thread?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    So you meant the future is bright for you.

    Nope. I meant the future is bright for you and for everyone else. My future isn't too different to yours.

    Of course, a lot of it will be to do with your attitude and mindset. If you walk around thinking life will be an*t constantly, then life will probably be sh*t constantly.

    Mental health has been a big issue through the pandemic. Don't be afraid to seek out friends, family or even strangers to chat about things. It's important to get them off your chest and to deal with these things head on.


  • Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I lost a career change opportunity and then lost my job at the start of the whole ****.
    I'm now in another job but rents are sky high, property prices are sky-rocketing. Everything I could have achieved within a year at the start of last year on 40% less money is now impossible.

    But someone else says to cheer up so I suppose I better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 965 ✭✭✭SnuggyBear


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Nope. I meant the future is bright for you and for everyone else. My future isn't too different to yours.

    Of course, a lot of it will be to do with your attitude and mindset. If you walk around thinking life will be an*t constantly, then life will probably be sh*t constantly.

    Mental health has been a big issue through the pandemic. Don't be afraid to seek out friends, family or even strangers to chat about things. It's important to get them off your chest and to deal with these things head on.

    Did you ever think of becoming a counciler?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,293 ✭✭✭VonLuck


    I lost a career change opportunity and then lost my job at the start of the whole ****.
    I'm now in another job but rents are sky high, property prices are sky-rocketing. Everything I could have achieved within a year at the start of last year on 40% less money is now impossible.

    But someone else says to cheer up so I suppose I better.

    I think you're missing the point. Yes circumstances might seem bleak, but being negative about it won't help you and will only send you into a downward spiral. It's tough, but try to see some shimmers of light out there. Why worry about things that you can't change? And if it's something you can change and want to, then get out there and go hell for leather.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    SnuggyBear wrote: »
    Did you ever think of becoming a counciler?

    Not seriously, no.

    But who knows? The future can be what you make it


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  • Registered Users Posts: 965 ✭✭✭SnuggyBear


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Not seriously, no.

    But who knows? The future can be what you make it

    Ye it would be easy for you, tell everyone to chin up. Next.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I lost a career change opportunity and then lost my job at the start of the whole ****.
    I'm now in another job but rents are sky high, property prices are sky-rocketing. Everything I could have achieved within a year at the start of last year on 40% less money is now impossible.

    But someone else says to cheer up so I suppose I better.

    That's the spirit.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88 ✭✭BobbyBolivia


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Not seriously, no.

    But who knows? The future can be what you make it


    Your posts are dripping with arrogance and condescension. Embarrassing stuff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    VonLuck wrote: »
    I think you're missing the point. Yes circumstances might seem bleak, but being negative about it won't help you and will only send you into a downward spiral. It's tough, but try to see some shimmers of light out there. Why worry about things that you can't change? And if it's something you can change and want to, then get out there and go hell for leather.

    This is part of the point I was making earlier. Lots of people are starting to get stuck in these spirals. They then take that to social media or message boards and catch people in their spiral.

    Like my mate I mentioned before. He was stuck in the social media echo chamber, having the negative attitudes of others projected onto him. He'd then absorb that and became horribly negative himself.

    He recently all-but quit social media and he's a new man. Nothing has really changed except his attitude and what he is consuming.

    If you keep telling yourself your future will be sh*t, it will become a self fulfilling prophecy


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Your posts are dripping with arrogance and condescension. Embarrassing stuff.

    That may be your perception and the perception of a negative mind, but only you can change that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,495 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    VonLuck wrote: »
    And if it's something you can change and want to, then get out there and go hell for leather.

    Are you advising him to break level 5 restrictions? I dont think you should be advocating illegal behaviour.

    Perhaps people would be happy to get out there and make things happen if the covid cowards would actually let them...


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,293 ✭✭✭VonLuck


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    That may be your perception and the perception of a negative mind, but only you can change that.

    Don't you realise that there's a mandate to be miserable on this forum? Can't be spreading positivity like that. Might become infectious!

    It's a sad sight when someone tries to look on the bright side of things and they're branded as arrogant and condescending.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    So IF things go back to normal, no need for masks, people can squeeze into pubs again and we go back to talking about the weather; has all of this experience changed you? I would like to think I will continue to not drink very often (from every weekend pre-Covid) and not bother to resurrect friendships with people I lost touch with when the shared drinking hobby ended. I've also improved with saving money so I hope there are some long lasting habits developed there by now.

    I went from drinking every weekend precovid to drinking every day.

    I took my current job 2 weeks before covid and I've worked from home 100% since then. I'd find it hard to justify a 3-4hour rush hour journey ever again. As i crow whenever i get the chance, I've worked from tenerife 7 weeks now and the world keeps spinning.

    My friends have been good via whatsapp but i hadn't seen any since the xmas reprieve.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Don't you realise that there's a mandate to be miserable on this forum? Can't be spreading positivity like that. Might become infectious!

    It's a sad sight when someone tries to look on the bright side of things and they're branded as arrogant and condescending.

    Unfortunately it's a symptom of the negative mindset. As I mentioned before, this social media/message board negativity becomes a virus in itself and a lot of these people try to infect anyone who hasn't been dragged down by them.

    I don't know about them, but I'll be sitting enjoying some lovely pints this summer with my mates and family while they're...... I don't know..... doing something bleak? Watching the final season of Game of Thrones?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭Antares35


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Don't you realise that there's a mandate to be miserable on this forum? Can't be spreading positivity like that. Might become infectious!

    It's a sad sight when someone tries to look on the bright side of things and they're branded as arrogant and condescending.

    Sure look, there was a thread set up a few months ago for people to post about their positive experiences during the pandemic, and it got infiltrated by the "how dare you be happy when everyone else is miserable" crowd. Any time you mentioned something positive, someone would reply, "well good for you but have you even stopped to think about xyz". It was exhausting just trying to speak purely for oneself!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,029 ✭✭✭tastyt


    I’m obviously gagging for a night out too and to meet my mates but the lockdown has given me a reverse perspective on all that.

    It’s amazing the amount of people or things that you think you actually need but you really don’t . A part of me has really learned to enjoy taking the dog out in the fields and just enjoying the moment , not rushing to get back for something.

    I also realised that I have spent the last 10 years stressing and worrying about the future and money . About having to get a promotion or to change to a better job that I wouldn’t enjoy because I had to live in a certain place . Now I realise I don’t need any of that , I actually like my average job and will just live in a less expensive place and be happy .

    Perspective I suppose


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Antares35 wrote: »
    Sure look, there was a thread set up a few months ago for people to post about their positive experiences during the pandemic, and it got infiltrated by the "how dare you be happy when everyone else is miserable" crowd. Any time you mentioned something positive, someone would reply, "well good for you but have you even stopped to think about xyz". It was exhausting just trying to speak purely for oneself!

    You'll notice it in all of the threads. The same lads with all the negativity, the same lads all liking one another's posts.

    I think it's a strong indication of the mental health issue at play during the pandemic. God willing, it will all lift once we're back to normal


  • Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 2,290 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nigel Fairservice


    I'm in my late 30s so most of my friends are married with young kids so I don't really see them in person that often anymore. I also moved to my partner's home county not long before Covid hit. I have no real friends of my own here or historical ties to the place.

    As I got older I found myself liking to spend more time by myself and avoiding interactions with people beyond what was necessary. The last year has really allowed me to do that and I have kind of enjoyed it tbh. I haven't really missed interactions with people all that much. I exchange messages with friends regularly and talk to them on the phone every few weeks but that's all I was doing anyway before Covid. The hardest part has been not being able to see my family who live in another county. I'll probably struggle a bit having to interact with others again. I'll do it but I probably won't want to. My partner is more sociable than me and has probably struggled more with this kind of thing than I have this past year.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88 ✭✭BobbyBolivia


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Don't you realise that there's a mandate to be miserable on this forum? Can't be spreading positivity like that. Might become infectious!

    It's a sad sight when someone tries to look on the bright side of things and they're branded as arrogant and condescending.

    Some people have had a horrific year and the future looks very bleak for them.

    Some patronising 'positivity' from a randomer on boards.ie is not going to change anybodies circumstances.

    Perhaps genuine empathy instead of the 'things are only bad if you think they are' nonsense would be more appropriate.

    And then we have the pontificating about some friend that almost fell to the dark side but thanks to some quick intervention from Mr.Positivity he was saved!

    Hey I see you lost your job, are struggling to pay back your mortgage and your home life is a mess. Or I see your business has closed permanently. Or I see that your child with disabilities has been set back years of development. But at least we have these nuggets of wisdom to comfort those people:
    I meant the future is bright for you and for everyone else.
    Of course, a lot of it will be to do with your attitude and mindset.

    Give over.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Hey I see you lost your job, are struggling to pay back your mortgage and your home life is a mess. Or I see your business has closed permanently. Or I see that your child with disabilities has been set back years of development. But at least we have these nuggets of wisdom to comfort those people:

    Did these things happen to you?

    Another thing I see is a lot of misery-by-proxy. People gathering the negative aspects of other's lives and using them to be a martyr themselves. It's extremely unhealthy.

    If the above happened to you though, that's tough. But it doesn't mean the future can't be bright


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,293 ✭✭✭VonLuck


    Some people have had a horrific year and the future looks very bleak for them.

    Some patronising 'positivity' from a randomer on boards.ie is not going to change anybodies circumstances.

    Perhaps genuine empathy instead of the 'things are only bad if you think they are' nonsense would be more appropriate.

    And then we have the pontificating about some friend that almost fell to the dark side but thanks to some quick intervention from Mr.Positivity he was saved!

    Hey I see you lost your job, are struggling to pay back your mortgage and your home life is a mess. Or I see your business has closed permanently. Or I see that your child with disabilities has been set back years of development. But at least we have these nuggets of wisdom to comfort those people:




    Give over.

    No one's denying that it's been a terrible year for a lot of people. And it's totally understandable that you're feeling miserable, but compounding that with a negative outlook is not going to help you. MrStuffins isn't here to give you the step by step motions of how to get out of this rough period, so maybe that's why you think he's being a bit flippant. But the gist of it literally is to try and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. As difficult it may seem to find positivity, there's no other option available unfortunately.


  • Registered Users Posts: 991 ✭✭✭Stormyteacup


    VonLuck wrote: »
    No one's denying that it's been a terrible year for a lot of people. And it's totally understandable that you're feeling miserable, but compounding that with a negative outlook is not going to help you. MrStuffins isn't here to give you the step by step motions of how to get out of this rough period, so maybe that's why you think he's being a bit flippant. But the gist of it literally is to try and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. As difficult it may seem to find positivity, there's no other option available unfortunately.

    Flippancy? It reads more like ignorance. Yes there are things to be positive about for sure, but ask yourself what you are positive about right now?

    Maybe it’s that you are looking forward to the relief of knowing you will soon no longer need to worry about you and your loved ones being badly affected health-wise - big positive all round for everyone.
    Appreciating a slower pace of life? - likely a positive for most.

    Are you perhaps looking forward to meeting friends indoors socially, or planning a holiday with your savings or using them to put down a deposit on a house, planning renovations, happy with uninterrupted pension plan - meaning retirement is still on track or possibly fast-tracked, looking at opportunities in your industry for career advancement, or happy with the improvement in your working life this crisis has brought about? Be honest.

    Good for you, but if you’ve lost your job, are already marginalised for specialist care which is now exacerbated by restrictions, or grieving for a loved one, or fearful of resuming social interactions, and find it mentally difficult or financially impossible to look forward to the above, being told to ‘think positive’ is a bit ridiculous and smacks of complete lack of empathy and awareness.

    Could it be that simple? - ‘be positive’, and no one need have a negative thought ever again.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I actually agree with the "stay positive" message. My positive attitude had gotten me through worse than this lockdown, in my life.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,293 ✭✭✭VonLuck


    Good for you, but if you’ve lost your job, are already marginalised for specialist care which is now exacerbated by restrictions, or grieving for a loved one, or fearful of resuming social interactions, and find it mentally difficult or financially impossible to look forward to the above, being told to ‘think positive’ is a bit ridiculous and smacks of complete lack of empathy and awareness.

    Could it be that simple? - ‘be positive’, and no one need have a negative thought ever again.

    I think you're missing what I'm saying. You're in a bad situation at the moment. It will either get better or it'll get worse. If you're 100% sure it'll get worse then there's nothing you can do about that. Don't fret about things you can't change because it will get you nowhere. Easier said than done for sure, but that's the only way out of it.

    If your future situation isn't set in stone but is still out of your control then why not be optimistic? If it turns out well in the end, great! If not, well then it was going to happen anyways and at least you didn't spend all your time in a pit of despair.

    There's no downside to trying to being positive, as difficult as it may be.


  • Registered Users Posts: 965 ✭✭✭SnuggyBear


    My experience of these good vibes think positive people is that they are all mess on the inside. I've seen them fall apart many times, it's all a facade. Sometimes life is **** and trying to tell yourself it's not is bull****.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 310 ✭✭3wayswitch


    Could it be that simple? - ‘be positive’, and no one need have a negative thought ever again.

    I don't think anyone is saying it's that simple, but making an effort to try and see the positive side of things can help. I'm saying this as one of the people who have has had a tougher lockdown than most, I lost my Dad to Covid, had to take a significant paycut in work so no one in the company would get laid off, and I haven't seen any of my friends in person in over a year due to living with someone who is in an at risk group.

    Giving into negativity leads to what is called Learned Helplessness. You start to assume that because you have not been able to generate the results you wanted in previous situations, that you will have no control over the next one that comes along so you don't even try. There's an interesting page on Wikipedia about this.


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  • Posts: 5,311 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Flippancy? It reads more like ignorance. Yes there are things to be positive about for sure, but ask yourself what you are positive about right now?

    Maybe it’s that you are looking forward to the relief of knowing you will soon no longer need to worry about you and your loved ones being badly affected health-wise - big positive all round for everyone.
    Appreciating a slower pace of life? - likely a positive for most.

    Are you perhaps looking forward to meeting friends indoors socially, or planning a holiday with your savings or using them to put down a deposit on a house, planning renovations, happy with uninterrupted pension plan - meaning retirement is still on track or possibly fast-tracked, looking at opportunities in your industry for career advancement, or happy with the improvement in your working life this crisis has brought about? Be honest.

    Good for you, but if you’ve lost your job, are already marginalised for specialist care which is now exacerbated by restrictions, or grieving for a loved one, or fearful of resuming social interactions, and find it mentally difficult or financially impossible to look forward to the above, being told to ‘think positive’ is a bit ridiculous and smacks of complete lack of empathy and awareness.

    Could it be that simple? - ‘be positive’, and no one need have a negative thought ever again.

    It's downright ignorant for some randomer to preach a glib positivity message without any comprehension of the trials of others. With added exclamation marks to confirm a tactless worldview, of course one wouldn't possibly mistake them for another ten-a-penny rise merchant :rolleyes:


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    SnuggyBear wrote: »
    My experience of these good vibes think positive people is that they are all mess on the inside. I've seen them fall apart many times, it's all a facade. Sometimes life is **** and trying to tell yourself it's not is bull****.

    Sad. It's not about denying where you are at now, it's about having hope for the future. It's about making realistic goals for yourself and believing that with a lot of effort, you can achieve those goals. That's what being positive means to me.

    You should try it sometime.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    SnuggyBear wrote: »
    My experience of these good vibes think positive people is that they are all mess on the inside. I've seen them fall apart many times, it's all a facade. Sometimes life is **** and trying to tell yourself it's not is bull****.

    You've met the wrong ones my friend.

    I get that you're not in a great mental spot at the moment but things are going to get better.

    Maybe we'll bump into you and I can buy you a tasty pint!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,495 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    Sad. It's not about denying where you are at now, it's about having hope for the future. It's about making realistic goals for yourself and believing that with a lot of effort, you can achieve those goals. That's what being positive means to me.

    You should try it sometime.

    Make goals? In level 5 lockdown? Exactly what goals can people make right now, how does this work exactly?

    I'd love to go out and achieve new things but hey, we aren't allowed to, imagine that. Go figure.

    But hey, hold firm, we are all in this together, just another 2 weeks to flatten the curve.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Make goals? In level 5 lockdown? Exactly what goals can people make right now, how does this work exactly?

    I'd love to go out and achieve new things but hey, we aren't allowed to, imagine that. Go figure.

    But hey, hold firm, we are all in this together, just another 2 weeks to flatten the curve.

    Really? It could just be something simple like going for a walk (building up to a run) every day, do you really need me to give you examples? I know it's hard to get motivated, I even said so myself earlier, but I try to keep at my hobbies as best I can.

    Here's one for you, perhaps stop using social media? Fixating too much on the pandemic isn't good for the noggin. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Make goals? In level 5 lockdown? Exactly what goals can people make right now, how does this work exactly?

    There are plenty of goals you can make that don't involve going outside.

    Also, we're talking about the future here. We're well into the vaccination process now. The one millionth dose was administered today. It's not going to be too long until we're back outside, until we're back in each other's houses having a beer or watching the match. It's not too long until we'll be back in the gym, back at gigs, back playing sport....... all positive things.

    Some will try have you believe that the world has ended and normalcy will never come back. They can continue to think that while I'm enjoying myself in the pub this summer


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭Antares35


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    You've met the wrong ones my friend.

    I get that you're not in a great mental spot at the moment but things are going to get better.

    Maybe we'll bump into you and I can buy you a tasty pint!

    Like I said earlier, the previous thread about positive experiences during covid was inundated with people who were downright outraged that some people felt they could share positive elements of how their life had been during lockdown. It almost felt like, in finding our own little patch of joy where we could, we were being held accountable for the entire pandemic and the fallout from it :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭Antares35


    Really? It could just be something simple like going for a walk (building up to a run) every day, do you really need me to give you examples? I know it's hard to get motivated, I even said so myself earlier, but I try to keep at my hobbies as best I can.

    Here's one for you, perhaps stop using social media? Fixating too much on the pandemic isn't good for the noggin. :)

    Re walking, I have to say having a dog has been a life saver for me. Because when you've a dog, you have to get out and walk even when you don't feel like it! There were days where I felt worn out and depleted, especially if my productivity was low despite being at the laptop all day. But, there's my dog giving me big sad cow eyes until I take her out, and I always feel slightly better for it afterwards.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    Antares35 wrote: »
    Re walking, I have to say having a dog has been a life saver for me. Because when you've a dog, you have to get out and walk even when you don't feel like it! There were days where I felt worn out and depleted, especially if my productivity was low despite being at the laptop all day. But, there's my dog giving me big sad cow eyes until I take her out, and I always feel slightly better for it afterwards.

    Wait til you find out the peanut butter trick


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    There's winners and losers.

    The winners are the ones with mortgages and kids.

    The losers are everyone else. Low income people lost their job and have no hope. Others kept their job and earned well but have nowhere to spend it and house prices rocket and rocket giving no hope.


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