COVID-19 and quarantine are messing with our minds…literally. We know we’re not alone, and we bet it’s getting to you too. Which is why we started Mind Matters, a collection of conversations on mental health during coronavirus. As part of this series, we asked some of our Omaha Fashion Week designers how COVID-19 has affected their mental health and creativity, and how they’re practicing self-care. Keep reading to learn more about designer Lauren Glowacki, and how quarantine is inspiring her to create without the pressure of perfection!

 
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How has COVID-19 affected your mental health and creativity?

COVID-19 has definitely put a strain on my mental health and my ability to be creative, as I’m sure it has for many. I am a person who thrives on being able to spend quality time with friends and family. My friends are my outlet, so without them, I feel a bit lost and I'm missing all of them so much. Along with all other students, I was sent home from college and had to transition to online learning. It has been stressful trying to turn hands-on content into the complete opposite. I feel I’m losing a lot of knowledge I could’ve gained, and that’s hard for me to sit with.

What are you doing to practice self-care?

I like to take care of the people I love, and it’s tough to do so when I can’t see my friends and family, but I’ve made sure to reach out to the people I hold closest and check up on them as often as I can. FaceTime has been a huge help during these times and I always look forward to calling people to catch up. If you haven’t done it yet, check up on someone you haven’t reached out to lately. Another thing I’ve been trying to emphasize is that we need to be gentle on ourselves. I feel a lot of us are being hard on ourselves for not taking full advantage of this time to do everything, but in reality, it’s okay to take a day (or a few days) off. It’s okay if you watch your favorite show all day, or indulge in your favorite snacks, or do whatever you deem necessary to take care of yourself. It’s all okay. These are unprecedented times, so when I’m down I remind myself that what I’m feeling is totally normal and I should do whatever I can to take care of myself and be gentle on myself and others. So I’d say face masks, baking, dying my hair—all self-care!

 

What are you doing to try to stay creative?

My main source of inspiration right now is seeing what other people are up to! The internet is booming with creative ideas and it really keeps me motivated and excited to continue creating. Along with what I mentioned about being gentle on myself, I’m trying to create without the idea that the result has to be perfect. Bad art is better than no art! The main focus is that I created in the first place. So create, create, and create some more—then take a break and watch your favorite Netflix show and enjoy your favorite snack!

Stay tuned for more conversations with our designers, resources for maintaining mental health, and more!

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