For those of us in Ontario, some would say we are navigating oddly familiar times: rise in case counts, school lockdowns, retail capacity limits. However, other people would say that while there are similarities to previous waves, there are huge differences worth mentioning. Namely that vaccinations are available (please get your booster if you have not already) and the world better understands the virus.

Regardless of which side of the conversation you sit on, we can agree that the current situation is less than ideal and its impacts on mental health cannot be discounted. Looking back, our community has a history of overcoming adversity and has built the capacity to recover from difficult situations, also known as resilience.

Building resilience is not impossible and there is research on how each of us as individuals can become more resilient in the face of hardship. One such strategy as developed by psychologist Martin Seligman is reminding ourselves of 3 Ps that may stunt recovery:

Permanence: The belief our situation will last forever.
Pervasiveness: The belief our situation will impact every aspect of our lives.
Personalization: The belief our situation is a result of our wrongdoing.

In recognizing these factors that can slow recovery, we can start to reframe the situation and bounce back. One actionable strategy in combating the belief of pervasiveness is to start agratitude journalwhere you write down 3 things (big or small) every day that you are grateful for. By writing down positive elements, we can impact our outlook and mood.

If you are struggling, there are many resources online and in the city that can be of service includingSherbourne Healthandthe 519. Additionally,Youthlineprovides peer support for LGBTQ2S+ youth (up to age 29) via chat, phone or text. These continue to be challenging times and we will need to take care of ourselves and take care of each other. Things will get better.