Finding Solutions

For many years I was manipulated, by several people, into believing I was weak, helpless and incompetent. Thankfully, once leaving those toxic relationships, I came to see that I was strong, confident and independent. I’m not the kind of person who whines and complains, then expects someone else to fix my perceived problems for me. I find my own solutions.

I have been incredibly nervous about going back to work, knowing that I’ll have to wear a mask, when it is something that sets off my anxiety and has induced several panic attacks. But knowing I was going to have to do this, I began looking for things to help. One thing I found were these silicone mask inserts. They pull the mask away from your face. While I still struggle to have a mask on at all, not having the fabric actually touching my face has made a difference. I’ve worn it under a mask a couple of times now while shopping and it definitely made it easier for me.

I still think I’ll need to take quite a few mask breaks. (Mask breaks. I can’t believe we live in a world where that is an actual concept now. I feel like I’m living in the Twilight Zone.) But at least I found something that helped. I’m not weak. I’m not helpless. And I’m not incompetent. You aren’t, or you don’t have to be, either. It just takes a little motivation to start looking for a solution that helps you.