SACRAMENTO, Calif. — "I've spent a couple of nights in my bed just crying because I get so frustrated. There's only so much strength," Sondra Minor said.
Minor is an Uber/Lyft driver who filed for unemployment benefits in April of 2020. Fast forward to March of 2021 and she still hasn't received a dime.
"The major consequence that I've dealt with, so far, is that it actually cost me my brand new car. I mean, I even had a 700 credit rating and as of now, it's 430," Minor said.
Minor's in-laws are helping her stay afloat while she continues to call and desperately waits for someone from EDD to help her.
"I don't think I'd still be sitting here. I think I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for my in-laws," Minor said.
Amy Morin, a psychotherapist, international best-selling author and Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind has some tips on how to stay mentally strong during trying times.
1. Put a name to your emotions
You may just want to say to yourself, "I'm feeling ignored right now. This is frustrating. I'm hurt. I'm scared." When you put the name to those emotions, it helps your brain make a little more sense of what's going on because you're going to have a physiological reaction.
2. Focus on what you can control
You can't necessarily make the income come in faster, but what could you do? You could say, "I can take care of myself today. I can exercise. I could go for a walk. I could clean the house." You want to pay attention to the things that you can control and focus on more of the solutions.
3. Ask yourself the tough questions
Is this a problem thought or a solution thought? If it's really just focused on the problem and how bad you feel about the problem, it's going to make you feel worse. So then ask yourself, "What am I going to do about it?"
4. Remember you're not alone
People are struggling. That's okay. It's not a sign of weakness, but it is an opportunity to say, "How can I use this struggle in my life to grow stronger and become better because of it?"
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