Being an Essential Worker
One can stay with confidence that no one saw this coming, but we should've been prepared for it. On another note, how does one prepare themselves for a pandemic? Four months have passed and so much has changed in the world around us. For those of us that were considered essential workers, our work life was turned upside down. I work at a bakery and when the stay-at-home order was put into place, business slowed down dramatically. It was hard to accept that many employees were going to see a cut in their hours. This was before any talk of a stimulus check and hazard pay. It was the most anxious feeling I had personally felt in a long time. Having already dealt with anxiety on a day to day basis, I knew the only thing I could do was continuously acknowledge my emotions and let them pass through me. I am in control of my emotions and how I react to the situation. I can protect myself and my loved ones as long as I wear my mask and gloves. Then I found out that my co-worker tested positive for COVID-19. I had become so used to my new sense of normal at work, just for this to happen.