COVID Fatigue

By Laycie Love

Laycie Love

A new term has risen amongst us: “COVID fatigue.” The phrase says it all in two words. Exhausted, we the people are.

Every day, we hear we are living in uncertain times. For many of us, our life, from seemingly mundane tasks to the bulk of our time; has changed. Not only are we unclear on how to navigate our own lives, we are facing even more unfamiliar obstacles triggered by a virus none of us had heard of before 2020.

To say, “my, how things change” is an understatement. Even as everything around us may look the same, it somehow feels, deep in the depths of our na‘au, very different.

This level of uncertainty challenges the core survival instincts that define us as humans. We like to have guarantees, plans and tangible results we can see, feel and touch. As human beings, we wish simply to ensure our survival and contribute to the continuance of ourselves and our future generations.

We here on Kaua‘i see a wide range of people. Locals that can trace their history back 100-plus years, third-generation non-native residents, spiritual types that believe Kaua‘i is the sacred peak of Lemuria, eccentric billionaires commandeering huge parcels of land and fresh-off-the-boat transients seeking to depend on social services: all looking for their taste of the paradise pie. Therefore, we see a diversity of effects from the impacts of COVID-19 in our communities and we will continue to. If that makes your gut churn, it’s because we are back in that unfamiliar territory we humans don’t particularly enjoy.

Looking back a few months, we can determine where this rapid descent of collective consciousness began. In January 2020, the American society had become myopic, entitled and lazy. That’s not a jab at anyone; this theory proves itself later on.

By March 2020, the world saw something no one has experienced in modern times. The initial news releases instilled enough fear in all of us that we activated by literally deactivating and locking down. Most of the country went dark for weeks, if not months, with mandatory shutdowns that brought an abrupt halt to everything American. Except for those key character traits; remember those? All of a sudden, we became a disorganized army of Internet trolls, lashing out with narcissism, entitlement and a perpetual unwillingness to participate in constructive conversations with civility or compassion. All of a sudden, we don’t seem to care about our fellow human.

The monster of misinformation is almost scarier than the virus itself. Everyone is an expert. Everyone is also divided. We no longer trust that very human connection that defines us. We see families on either side of political affiliation that no longer speak to one another. A large population believes the virus is fake. We have no way to prove or disprove much of the information we are almost force-fed on the daily. And many of us have lost our usual outlets for stressful energy, so it stagnates, contributing to a sewer of negative chemistry.

We feel useless. Herein enters the chronic fatigue of an entire culture. We aren’t used to being a victim to our own futures, being unable to contribute to seemingly any part of our existence.

So, what does an individual, a community do when no one knows really what to do? Sure, we could cover our bases; wear masks, physical distance, limit exposure with people outside of our household, etc. We can eat healthy, enjoy zoom meetings with loved ones, get outside and exercise. These are all positive ways to cope and in general are healthy lifestyle choices.

What do we do about that sinking feeling that we are only observers, no longer players in the game of life; that gut feeling that we are hopeless?

It’s no secret that Aloha will change the world. And Aloha is exactly what we Kauaians know can cure our latest unfamiliar woes; in the form of servitude and connection.

Our local communities have stepped up to serve. Donors and volunteers have come forth to make sure no families go hungry, from the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank partnerships with hotels and local advocacy agencies such as Lions Club and Zonta Club to lesser known on-the-ground efforts serving the houseless populations like the Catholic Charities and Mongrel Mob from the Hawai‘i Kingdom.

Many of us have returned to the ‘āina, the land that has consistently provided. This as an opportunity to regain some tangibility: if we learn to fish, we will eventually provide food. These outdoor experiences also bring generations of ʻōhana together, something we were lacking in our modern society. Our youth suddenly is interested in life skills and listening to tutu’s wala‘au.

Interesting how we move seemingly backwards in order to move forward.

What have we lost that we need to find? That’s a lot to chew on, so let’s break this down, creating the plan as we rediscover it.

I find those coping well are seeking out deeper connections with themselves, other humans, the Earth and activities with tangible results. Going within and understanding one’s own insecurities and triggers in order to be less reactive to the outside forces is no longer taboo and rather encouraged. Engaging activities with others has emotional, physical and psychological effects on everyone. Tangibility in the form of servitude leads to the increase in the individual’s happiness.

This is a paradox; it is both simple yet difficult to apply. You read correctly; we are in direct conflict with our perception of our human-ness.

Is it counterintuitive to reach out to your neighbor, seeing that she is struggling with full-time childcare to invite the kids out to the beach? Probably most of us before COVID would say “no meddle.” However, this writer believes now is the time to grow past that uncomfortable feeling and try something new.

How to replace “COVID Fatigue” with “Kauaʻi Strong”? It’s a multi-faceted problem with complex solutions that will involve our entire community. As Mother Teresa once said, “if you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”

We are one big family on Kaua‘i. It’s up to us to face the uncertainty and move toward the future we wish.

Kūlia i ka nu‘u.

• Laycie Love is a community leader who enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle and community service projects in between her professional roles as owner of Laycie Love LLC, a consulting and development company; Director of Development for Keep It Flowing, a mural-based youth curriculum organization; as well as Zonta Club of Kaua’i Secretary.