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Four Lessons From Your Anxious Brain
Pandemic life has saddled us with lots of conflicting emotions. Here’s how to cope with feelings of uncertainty and make a fresh start.
Credit.Nathalie Lees
Feeling unsettled? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Welcome to the summer of 2021.
I asked thousands of New York Times readers of all ages to share how they’re feeling right now. The most common answers revealed the mixed feelings of the past 14 months: unsettled, anxious, overwhelmed, frazzled, tired, hopeful, optimistic, stressful, exhausted, excited.
Some readers said just one word was not enough to describe how they’re feeling.
“Bored, anxious, hopeful all at once. Is there a word for that?” asked one reader.
The Challenge
What was your role in the school play? Your most embarrassing moment? What superpower would you want? For today’s challenge, find a friend or partner and ask a connection question. Science tells us that when you skip the small talk and instead reveal something about yourself, you form deeper ties to the person you’re talking to, whether it’s a friend, family member or romantic partner. Pick a question (more options are below) and get talking!
Why Am I Doing This?
The pandemic has strengthened some relationships and fractured others. Many people say they’ve forgotten how to talk to people and find the idea of socializing again to be daunting. Fortunately, relationship researchers have studied the best way for humans to forge deeper connections.