How to manage the collective anxiety on Labour Day weekend

I used to think the phrase ‘collective anxiety’ was a bit flaky. How much can we be affected by other people’s anxiety?

A lot!

For the past few years, I’ve felt a pervasive uneasiness over the Labour Day weekend. At first I attributed it to worry about my kids going back to school but the anxiety I was experiencing felt disproportionate to my own concerns.

I would ask myself, “Why is my sleep this restless? Why do my nerves feel this shot?” I couldn’t quite explain it until I considered the collective.

When enough people in our community feel anxious it becomes palpable, especially for sensitive people.

This September, the usual back-to-school anxiety is amplified by Covid concerns. Parents are torn between their fears about Covid and their desire to send their kids to school.

As each family navigates this unknown landscape and chooses what feels best for their children, there is some unease. There’s no perfect solution.

Whether you have school-age kids or not, I invite you to take extra care this weekend. Leave some time and space to do things more slowly, be in nature, and be compassionate with yourself if you feel anxious.

In the small moments when you might judge yourself, as we’re apt to do, shift into knowing that there’s nothing wrong with your reaction. 

Feeling anxious makes sense right now.