Hopefully we are on the verge of change, again. The phrase I hear over and over is, “there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” Although there is excitement, I sense that people feel cautious, too. Of course, that’s understandable. Life for most of us changed more than we could have imagined, and tragically for too many.
In a few days I will receive my second vaccination. Two weeks after that, I will be considered immunized from COVID 19. Although preventive mandates are being lifted slowly, in a few months, life will probably enter a new, more open phase. What will that be like? What will change? What will not? So much is unknown, still. We have all been subject to a huge, global experiment, not of anyone’s choosing, and the outcomes are still hazy.
A part of me is excited about the loosening of restrictions and opening of possibilities. I imagine the people I will finally see in person, the trips and experiences I will be able to enjoy again. I also reflect on the freedoms, events, and lifestyle I took for granted. No more! Another side of me does not want to go back to a too frenetic pace, or a too superficial sense of values.
Reflecting on how to navigate this new world, I searched for words of wisdom. This was not as easy task because we are all in new territory. Much of what I found focused on the large picture, how technology will affect our lives and business practices and how education, healthcare, and mental health services will change. Also, there were suggestions on how societal issues will either improve or worsen. But I was looking for how an individual can rethink and prepare for this new world.
This is what I found.
- Accept that situations are uncertain and temporary. Period. Good advice, but not easy to do if you are used to life unfolding in a predictable way. And the pandemic will not end in one obvious event. It will probably be two steps forward, one backward …
- Recognize that adjusting to any change is a process. In other words, it will occur in steps and phases. Allow for this type of transition.
- An attitude of patience and flexibility will serve well. Always!
- Take time to reevaluate priorities. What has changed?
- Are there new habits and perspectives developed during the pandemic that are worth keeping? For me, there are two perspectives that have been reinforced.
- How interdependent we all are. Following up on that, the pandemic shows our differences are superficial, our similarities are DNA deep. That lesson is crystal clear to me.
- How interconnected we are with the natural world. And how we must preserve, respect and care for the natural world. Our lives depend on it.
Following up on the last point, there is so much dysfunction that has been exposed and exacerbated by COVID, I found these words were the most helpful; pare down a big problem to its local expression, then think of the steps that you or your community can take to tackle it.
Wishing you well.