I've been getting flu shots for like 15 years and did not get the flu until mid-December. It happened at the perfect time because my break had just started, and a project management class I was taking had just ended. Because it was a credit class, we had exams and a huge term paper due. At times it felt like a part-time job because achieving an A required a lot of work. A retired person who'd had a very successful career told me I shouldn't worry about getting an A, but I like to do the best job possible and then list it on LinkedIn :p
My temp reached 102, and I couldn't do anything other than wait it out. I spent four days lying around inside, and was ecstatic to emerge on day 5. Being too sick to do anything made me realize more than ever that I definitely do not like spending so much time at home and like to be out in the world, because as I've said before, I am not an introvert. I would probably have a much easier time living in modern society as an introvert because wanting to talk to people is almost counter-cultural at this point.
And wanting to talk to people about anything is especially seen as weird. I've met people who use superficiality to hide something, like their real motives, their real background, or their misery. Other times a mere comment or question can send someone scurrying to their phone, and people also have earbuds in at all times to avoid any interaction IRL. Even just talking about the weather causes them to retreat.
I did a search online and found this long, thoughtful post about socialization and avoidance: texting allows control that real-life interactions don't allow because you can't undo, delay, or edit what you say. Headphones are used as a kind of "emotional shield...[to] feel protected, invisible, or unreachable," and phones offer similar protection.
Sitting around so much made me realize that I really like people and want to connect with people, even with just a brief conversation in a store or wherever. It's great when I meet similar people, and it's like a buzzkill when I don't. Usually I don't dwell on a negative or anti-social interaction, but the couch made me think too much about it, which is why I was so glad to get outside eventually. Just seeing cute dogs was better than isolation!
Another thing I thought about while on the couch all day is the value of good workplaces. I kept rehashing messed-up workplaces I worked in and how I never want to be exposed to such bullying, ostracizing, or unfairness again. Right now my work situation is really good, and I don't want to mess up up my life by being a lone ranger trying to survive another toxic place. I refuse to do that anymore, and my great health has proven that I made the right decision to avoid bad people and harmful environments. I won't even tolerate dysfunctional or mean people in my personal life, and it's proven to be an effective strategy because 2025 was one of my best years ever, and I'm the healthiest I've ever been.
What's good about being really sick is that you can make decisions to reset. I probably thought too much and the thoughts at times were unproductive, just swirling around without a resolution. It's probably because I wasn't socializing, so I had pent-up energy that was ending up in dead ends. When I started interacting with the world again, I entered wiser and really appreciative of freedom and health. Looking forward to a good 2026!
I was planning on posting this before 2025 ended, but now it's 2026...Happy New Year!
