I've honestly been having a difficult time coming up with any motivation to write for this blog lately. Part of it is probably imposter syndrome - thinking I have nothing to add to the much needed and important conversations that are happening all over the world. I also think like many of us, my own stress responses have been so heightened with all the intense emotions, that my initial reaction is to just avoid EVERYTHING...even when it's something I enjoy (like writing, or other hobbies of mine). But that got me thinking: how is my natural response to stress actually adding to my overall stress level? It's basically a self-fulfilling prophecy - I tend to shut down all outside stimuli to "reset" my anxiety (which at first is a useful self-care tool). But doing this for long periods of time can actually result in not so positive outcomes, such as isolation, avoidance, or depressive symptoms. And because humans naturally want to live in community, too much iso...