If you are beginning to sense that life as you knew it may never exist again, you’re not alone. The reality is that the entire world has gone through so much change that any return to the past, as we knew it, is questionable. Living through a pandemic has changed our view of the world and of each other. Many people have lost a lot: jobs, friends, family, social lives, making school memories, vacations, and more. But as difficult as this has been, opportunity awaits if you’re willing to look for it.
Evaluate
A good first step is to reflect on what your life has been like since the pandemic began. You can probably easily identify the big changes. Write them down. And then, think more deeply about what has changed. What small things have been different? Has that been good or bad?
Perhaps you’ve been able to start learning something new. Maybe you found that you loved being at home with your kids so much that you want to homeschool. Or maybe you thought you’d enjoy working from home but realized how much you missed your co-workers. Likewise, your spending may have decreased since you’re not eating out. You like the increase in your savings.
Notice all of these things. Listen to what you’ve learned from them. Identify how you can make them a permanent part of your post-pandemic life.
Deeper Relationships
Being physically separated from friends, loved ones, and social gatherings is difficult for most people. You’ve probably missed group outings, concerts, restaurants, and sports. But being away from some people in your life may have been a weight off your shoulders. Likewise, increased time with your nuclear family may have offered both enormous benefits as well as big challenges.
Think of all of these experiences as a chance to evaluate your priorities. Being kept apart from others can boost your appreciation of them. If you’ve lost anyone because of the pandemic, this may be even more true. And you’ve probably learned a lot about yourself as a result.
Now is the time to be intentional about relationships. Invest in the lives of those who mean the most to you.
A Deeper Sense of Life’s Uniqueness
There’s nothing like a pandemic to bring life’s preciousness into sharp view. While we all know we will die someday, watching the death count spike upward in the last months has been a wakeup call to many. Life is short and uncertain. There are no guarantees. As a result, it may be time to reframe and reidentify what you want from life.
Now is the time to dig up the dreams and goals that have been buried underneath the daily grind. Make your bucket list and start working on it to the extent that the pandemic allows. Reach out to people you want to know better, even if it’s virtual. Find ways to implement steps that will allow you to shape your life into what you really want it to be.
Learning to Live with Uncertainty
Paradoxically, living in the midst of uncertainty can infuse life with greater richness. It can be scary and uncomfortable. But the truth is that we have always lived with uncertainty: accidents, illness, natural disasters are never far away. Uncertainty just seems more pronounced now with the arrival of a new virus.
When you turn to face that uncertainty and confront any fear it creates for you, you can find new levels of personal growth. You can live your life with more meaning. And perhaps that is one of the main lessons of the pandemic for everyone.
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Are you feeling overwhelmed, fearful, or sad due to how the pandemic has affected your life? Please reach out for help. Read more about the role of spirituality counseling, how it can benefit you, and connect you to others. I encourage you to reach out today for a free phone consultation. Together, we can help you learn to embrace life’s challenges and be stronger and smarter on the other side!