Wether it's a good day, a bad day, or a global pandemic- your sisters are always here.
Hi, my first question is: how are you doing? How is your heart feeling and what is your brain thinking during quarantine? My mind, if you’re asking, is a conglomeration of a working list of things I “should be doing” (should is a very perfectionist word per my therapist), overthinking personal relationships, and every now and then checking if my hands are washed and if everything around me is clean.
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My heart is actually somewhat happy today-- it’s a Sunday and it might rain and I want to bake cookies. Later, my roommate and I are going to watch a movie based on a book we have both now read (Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan). So I guess with that-- I’m doing okay. There are not too many things new to report as the days blend together and time has become little more than a way to decipher how many days into isolation we are.
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You are not alone
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I often feel like I have nothing to complain about because at least I’m healthy and those around me are healthy, and what could possibly be wrong if I have a roof over my head and food in my refrigerator? But I’ve learned pain comparison and guilt surrounding that do little for your wellbeing and, while important to note of course, do not minimize one’s feelings.
My wish for you, wherever you are reading this, is that you are not lonely even if you are technically alone-- whether that is actually by yourself, with a roommate, a partner, a spouse, or even with family. It is entirely possible to feel lonely even in the presence of someone else, especially in the midst of a global pandemic.
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If you know me, you might know how important female friendship is to me personally. One of my closest friends, luckily, is my own sister. I adore her and wish she were always with me to narrate life and make fun of me when I take myself too seriously. Since I’ve been quarantining, I’ve missed her even more. I’m lucky to have a good relationship with her, and lucky to also have friends who double as sisters in her absence, too.
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Just after the city “Safer at Home” order came here in LA, a friend and I went for a walk and met halfway between our apartments. The air felt different, but still great because we needed fresh air. When we met to walk around for a few minutes, I was feeling anxious and listening to a song through my airpods that made me feel like crying yet also comforted me. When we met we hesitated whether or not to hug each other, but we did because we both needed it and knew it could be the last one for a while. This was three weeks ago now, and we were right. That hug from my sister who isn’t my sister was so sweet and I can't wait to hug all of my friends and loved ones again when it’s safe to do so.
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Until then, I can’t stress how important it is to think of sisterhood in a time like this. We are all collectively experiencing something we never have before, and there is no right or wrong way to feel. Some of my friends are doing fine, some aren’t. No matter how someone says they are feeling one day, continue to reach out and check in another day. If we are learning anything, it is that each day is unpredictable and nothing is certain.
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As women, there is something I have always felt that innately lives in us and makes us more aware of our emotions and the emotions of others-- especially our sisters. By sisters, I mean the women we know and love, related or not. We have the power to take care of one another, lift each other up, and remind each other just how loved we/they are.
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Support your sister
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I hope you have at least one sister to call on. If you don’t, find one and make a friend during quarantine virtually-- I’ve found that people are a bit more open and a bit more willing to share now more than ever. If you’re still stuck, message me! Send us a message on our Instagram (@SinipesaSwim). We want to hear how you’re doing because we care. You don’t have to be a customer to be a friend.
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If you’re looking for ways to feel a little more comforted/entertained, may I also suggest these avenues to channel sisterhood that have worked for me:
- watching endless episodes of Sex & The City (my girls <3)
- or Gilmore Girls
- or The Handmaid’s Tale (book and television series)
- consuming delicious content from Man Repeller’s website/Instagram
- consuming even more delicious content from our Le Journal
- reading the book Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
- doing YouTube workouts with your friends virtually (we’ve been doing videos by Elle Macpherson and Jane Fonda)
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Anyway, I hope you’re healthy. I hope your friends and family are, too. You aren’t alone. You are feeling exactly what you should be feeling. We can’t wait for sunnier days ahead.
To learn more about Sinipesa Swim and meet our boss and babe Lucía, click here: https://www.sinipesaswim.com/blogs/journal/ecofriendly-story
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