On Whac-A-Mole
I’m sure you’ve played Whac-A-Mole before, or at least seen it somewhere. It's an arcade game that’s been around since 1975. You use a mallet to whack moles that pop up.
It’s slow at first. A mole here, another there. Whack one, then another — no problem. Bring on the moles.
But then, the game gets faster. More and more moles pop up. They’re further away from each other. They’re sneakier — harder to anticipate and plan for.
Crucially, the faster you react, the higher your score. But at least with the arcade game, it eventually ends. You whack all the moles you can, and then you’re done.
Lately, my life has felt like a long, non-stop game of Whac-A-Mole. A new potential client reaches out. Whack. Send them an email. Whack. Someone wants to schedule a portfolio review, which means I need to tidy up a presentation. Whack, then whack. Oh look, a new role opened up at an interesting company. I should apply! Write a new cover letter and tailor my resume. Whack. Email received 5 days ago. Reply? Dismiss nudge. Whack.
And that’s just the work stuff. Then, there’s the “everything-else” stuff.
Amid all of this whacking, I started having this weird feeling in the left side of my chest a few weeks ago. It only hurt a little, but mostly, it was scary.
Here’s a pro-tip: if you’re prone to anxiety attacks, don't Google "pain in left side of chest".
Every single website will tell you that you're having a heart attack and need to go to the emergency room right now, even though you're a reasonably healthy young woman who doesn't have diabetes or high blood pressure, but you’re admittedly a bit of a couch potato, so you wonder if that’s enough to cause a full-blown heart attack?, and you’ll inevitably be convinced that, yes, you're definitely having a heart attack right now, but you don't want to go to the ER because that feels excessive and, in all likelihood, you’re just panicking, which makes the pain worse and more persistent, so you’ll set up a telehealth appointment with a doctor the day before your COBRA coverage expires and she’ll ask you, “what you've been doing to take care of yourself lately?”
The 15-minute call will cost $106.
WHACK.
I guess my therapist could see the writing on the wall. She and I made a “Wellness Wheel” that I’m supposed to incorporate into my life now.
*Ken Jennings voice* and here are the categories:
Social relationships: prioritize fun and set boundaries
Arts & entertainment: read books, watch movies, listen to music, and watch comedy
Physical movement: go to the gym, stretch, and go for walks
Nutrition: eat breakfast and drink water
Mindfulness: breathe deeply, meditate, express gratitude, and practice self-compassion
Anyway, it turns out that you have to make a concerted effort to incorporate wellness into your life — it doesn’t just happen on its own. It isn’t a mole I can whack.
So that’s what I’m going to do next. Let me know if you have tips. Maybe you could try it, too, if you need?
Wish me luck.
