Thoughts on Re-emerging Post Pandemic
Are you starting to sense a bit of a shift? Last year at this time, the pandemic was taking hold and the future felt fearful and uncertain. Today, there’s hope of a return to some sense of normalcy.
I know this is not everyone’s experience. There are new COVID cases every day and intense hot spots around the world. It’s heartbreaking to see the human toll and impact. Many have experienced some sense of trauma – losing someone we love, being on the front lines as an essential worker, or being separated and isolated, to name a few.
As a result, our next steps can feel tentative. A recent American Psychological Association survey found that 49% of adults feel uncomfortable about returning to in-person interaction when the pandemic ends. And 46% don’t feel comfortable returning to pre-pandemic life.
But the fact is, some of us are beginning to venture out again. When I’ve talked to friends and colleagues about how they plan to re-engage with the world, I’ve sensed a few themes I’d like to share along with a few suggestions to make your journey back into the world a little easier.
Here are three common themes:
Normalcy vs Old Life – While everyone I’ve spoken with is looking forward to a new routine, few want to return to the previous endless cycle of busyness. As disruptive and upsetting as this last year has been, there have been sweet moments, too – reminders of a more analog life, like the simple pleasures of walking, noticing the seasons change, unplugging, and spending time connecting with loved ones.
Depth vs Breadth – That slower pace brought the opportunity to deepen relationships, including reconnecting with long lost friends and relatives through video gatherings. For those working remotely, conversations with their team and colleagues took a more personal slant this past year. That sense of care brought an increase in engagement.
Incremental vs Wholesale – Changes are already occurring in our daily routines a little at a time. Remember that you get to choose the pace. Are you more comfortable dipping a toe in the pool, diving into the deep end, or are you somewhere inbetween?
If you’re just starting to venture out and don’t want to slip back into old habits, here are a few suggestions to prepare yourself for more in-person activities:
Reflect – Take a little time to think about what made a difference in your life over the last year. What was meaningful? Did you work on a social cause? Enhance the quality of your relationships? Catch up on sleep? Develop new self-care practices? Enjoy some flexibility in your work schedule? Make a “Quality of Life” list of ways your life was enhanced, the things you want to keep intact. If there was something you wanted to do but didn’t have a chance to do, add that to your list as well.
Make Deliberate Choices – With your “Quality of Life” list as a guidepost, think about how those activities make you feel. Connected? Empathetic? Balanced? Healthy? Supported? Use that short list of emotions as you make choices on how to spend your time going forward. Does the activity you’re contemplating make you feel like you want to feel? If it doesn’t but you feel you need to do it, is there a way to reward yourself afterwards by doing an activity you enjoyed during the pandemic, like taking an outdoor walk or taking a pause or break?
Set Your Boundaries – Other important elements of making deliberate choices are going at your own pace, understanding your own personal boundaries, communicating those boundaries upfront in social situations in a respectful but firm dialogue, and having a plan on what will help you feel safe in your first interactions.
Check-in – Periodically review how it’s going and how you’re feeling. Honor what’s surfacing for you. If things start to get heavy and you find yourself working through a backlog of anxiety, don’t hesitate to reach out and get support.
Find/tend community – There were so many wonderful stories of virtual connections throughout the pandemic as well as a re-awakening of being in the outdoors. If that fed you during lockdown, keep up those virtual and natural touchpoints and continue to socialize outdoors.
Practice self-compassion – It is going to take a long time to process the full impact of what we collectively experienced over the last 15 months. Talk it out, write it out, work it out. Allow the grief to take its natural course. You’re not alone.
Most of all, remember that you were creative and resilient as you found your way during the pandemic. Trust that you can leverage that experience to help you as you navigate your way back out.
Journal Reflections: How are you really feeling? How have you changed this past year? What type of re-entry plan feels right for you?