It’s not so much a denial of the pandemic altogether, but a denial of its seriousness. They so desperately want to hold onto the normalities of life, so much so that they’ll avoid contributing to its truth. This includes refusing to wear masks, but also pretending their life hasn’t changed.

They’ll go to the beach, take regular road trips and visit the local pub every weekend. They stick to their usual routine because it helps drown out the elephant in the room.

Whether you like it or not, this pandemic is here until we find a suitable vaccine. And unless you’re okay with inadvertently killing grandparents and vulnerable friends, you should consider wearing a mask.

Because acceptance shows strength…

The first step in resolving any issue is by accepting that it’s there. You don’t have to agree with it, you don’t even have to succumb to it, you just need to look at it and say “this is part of my life.”

And it takes a lot of strength to do that because you’re essentially claiming responsibility for it. It becomes your responsibility, allowing you to take the necessary steps to deal with it.

Accepting your problems also removes their power over you. Because if you don’t accept them, they will linger in your subconscious and wreak havoc on your mind.

Ignorance is the weaker alternative.

You don’t want to wear a mask because reality is an awful place right now. To you, wearing a mask is a stark reminder of it. Which is perhaps why you feel like you can’t breathe while wearing one. It’s not blocking your airways, it’s stressing you out. And breathlessness is a symptom of stress.

But guess what? Everyone agrees that this whole pandemic is stressful! Life really does suck right now. But if you want to tolerate it a little better, you need to face reality:

This virus will remain a problem until we find a suitable vaccine. And that’s that.

So suck it up and deal with it…

Grow some balls and wear a mask!

You won’t be admitting defeat if you wear a mask. In fact, you’ll be taking a brave step towards accepting reality. And that’s a lot stronger than casting reality aside because it worries you.

On top of this, you’re standing up for all the people out there who may not have the strength to overcome this virus. That’s not only great for them, but it also shows how strong you are. At least on a mental level.

Feature image: Flavio Gasperini on Unsplash