Scoring a seat on the train, fixing a printer jam, confirming a second date—what were you doing on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020? In just 12 hours, the Dow plummeted 1,465 points; the NBA suspended its entire season; Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson confirmed they had caught the virus; editors from around the globe were in self-isolation after attending Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks; President Trump announced a travel ban from Europe. 

Earlier that day, we were still shaking hands and hugging. Restaurants were still open—and crowded! Most of us kept our weekend plans but began to wonder, is this a thing? Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.

By nightfall, the West’s inertia jolted to a sudden halt, snapping the picture into focus: COVID-19 was not the flu. By Thursday, WHO declared the novel virus a global pandemic. eBay had banned hand sanitizer due to price gouging. We froze, then scoured our B-team bodega for single rolls of toilet paper. The collective panic had set in for what would become a months-long lucid nightmare. 

In this chapter, we’ll delve into the anxiety, confusion, isolation, and ennui we’ve experienced since that life-altering day in March. We’ll dip our toes into the bad stuff, relish in the pockets of joy where we can find them, and lean into the self-care where we need to.

Send a text to your behavioral health coach and dig in.