United States of America eSeries: Staying Apart, Together: A weekend for self care

Staying Apart, Together: A weekend for self care

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Staying Apart, Together

WISDOM AND DISTRACTIONS FOR COPING WITH A WORLD CHANGED BY CORONAVIRUS

Saturday, April 17

Can't sleep? You're one of three adult Americans who do got enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep is a biological need that promotes good health. Not getting enough may lead to numerous negative health outcomes both in the short and long term that range from daytime fatigue to depression […]

A weekend for self care

After a tirelessly tragic week, I hope everyone can get some much needed rest this weekend.

It's been a long week.

Like many of you I have had a hard time dealing with the onslaught of tragic news this week, including Thursday's mass shooting in Indiana. I hope you can find some time and space for self care this weekend: sleep in a little bit, go for a walk, watch your favorite movie. Whatever you need.

I've been thinking about self care a lot this week. After getting my second vaccine shot on Tuesday, I was feeling pretty tired and a bit out of it, which isn't atypical. I took advantage of a wellness day my company has offered and took the day off to recover. I might have been able to muddle through work, not doing my best, but my mental and physical health improved because I paused, slept in and focused on the signals my body was giving me. When I was tired, I napped. When I felt better enough to walk my dog, I stepped out into the sunshine.

We can't take a wellness day every week, but it was a good reminder to listen to my mind and body.

Today's family feuding advice

COVID has altered family dynamics. Fights over mask-wearing and social distancing created new rifts, and for those split on politics pre-pandemic the crisis deepened fractures already formed.

The most cautious family members butted heads with the more risk-tolerant ones. Even for families who largely agreed on COVID restrictions this past year, the continued uncertainty of an increasingly vaccinated world has created challenges around returning to "normal." When it comes to resuming life, not everyone is on the same timeline.

My colleague Alia Dastagir spoke with two psychologists on how families can work to repair relationships damaged by disagreements over COVID. These are their tips for moving forward:

•	Determine if both people are willing to work on the relationship: "You have to sit the other person down and say, 'OK, we're not seeing eye to eye on this. Are you willing to talk about it and meet in the middle somewhere?' That's where that conversation starts," said Melissa Boudin, clinical director for Choosing Therapy, an online therapy platform.
•	Start from a place of empathy: "I mean it in the specific way of actively trying to understand where the person you're speaking to is coming from," Loren Soeiro, a psychologist in private practice in New York City said. "Forgetting about trying to convince them, forgetting about the distance between them and yourself, and really making that active effort to understand why their views make sense for them."
•	Communicate clearly and set boundaries: It's important for people to clearly and non-judgmentally explain to the other person what is important to them, why it's important, and how that person's current behavior makes them feel.

You can read the full story here.

COVID has tested some of our closest relationships.

Aleksandar Miljkovic, Getty Images

Today's reads

•	Have you voted in our annual Save Our Shows poll to help save your favorite TV show from cancellation? It's worked before for "Timeless" fans! See the "on the bubble" shows here.
•	A look at why women are reporting more COVID vaccine side effects than men are. It's not as simple as you may think.
•	A run down of various economic relief programs for small businesses and how to apply for them.
•	Busch wants to pay your pooch $20,000 to try its dog beer. Sort of.
•	Saturday is a good day to hit up a national park. Fees are waived for the beginning of National Park Week.

One of the most recognizable and well-photographed natural areas in the country, Arches National Park encompasses just over 100 square miles of eastern Utah and boasts more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Its star-studded attraction is the 52-foot-tall monolith Delicate Arch.

Nick Kontis/Special to USA TODAY

Today's pet

I present three adorable pictures of a very good girl.

Fidji having a snooze.

Courtesy Agnes Poirier

Fidji posing.

Courtesy Agnes Poirier

Fidji and her best friend.

Courtesy Agnes Poirier

"This is Fidji, Havanese girl," says Agnes Poirier. "She was born on March 18, the same day I started teleworking. I am so grateful to have had (her) during these difficult times."

I'm so glad you had her too. She seems wonderful.

That's all for this Saturday. The newsletter will be back on Tuesday. Until then you can send pet pictures, coping tips, thoughts on the future of the newsletter and anything else to stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com. Stay safe, stay well.

All my very best,

Kelly Lawler