What I've Learned From A Global Pandemic

Like many of you, I have had lots of time to pause and reflect these last 4 months. In that reflection, I realized that I have learned a lot about myself from this pandemic. When we are busy we tend to forget parts of ourselves, and it has been such an amazing thing to remember these other parts of me. As I continue to remind myself that it is not over, we are currently still surviving through a pandemic, I felt it important to share what I have learned and what I continue to learn. It is important to remind ourselves that through all of this there is positivity, growth, and evolution for ourselves.

I don’t need much.

During lockdown, when we could only visit the grocery stores on our letter days, I had an epiphany. I don’t need a whole lot to survive. Food, water, shelter; I had all those things and did not need more. Without having this experience, I am not sure I would have come to this conclusion; without being forced to face scarcity in a culture of abundance I would not have realized that I have more than I need already. More food in the pantry, clothes in my closet, connections in my life. It is easy to get caught up in the “I need more” culture that is our world, but it is so much more important to know that we already have enough. It was humbling to be able to make meals for myself and my husband with only what we had, and to know we were using everything and not wasting any food. We saved money, time, and had a lot of fun creating new recipes.  

Resting is important.

There is a growing movement happening globally calling for people to normalize resting. To abandon the old ways of working longer, harder than ever to get more and be more. But I think many of us realized that not only did we have enough already, but that we were all exhausted from trying. Add in that our bodies are coping with a stress and trauma response from a global pandemic, uncertainty, homeschooling, working from home, unemployment, sickness; and we are all tired. Taking the time to slow down our lives is crucial, it gives our bodies time to heal and our minds time to reflect. If you are feeling tired now, then allow yourself that time to rest, especially as we are moving back towards “normal”. Be kind to yourself, and listen to yourself. Your body is more than capable of telling you what it needs, you just need to listen.

Getting back to basics.

During lockdown life was simpler for me. I do not have kids and was lucky that work became my main focus, along with getting back to my own basics. I added more to my garden than ever, started baking again, hiking in nature daily foraging for wildflowers, read books that had been sitting on my shelf for months. I got back to the basic things that make me happy. Did you notice that you did this to? The basics will look different for us all, but take a minute to think back and see if you found joy in something that perhaps you had forgotten about. And don’t forget that joy; nurture it as we move forward to the “new normal”.   

Relationships.

Who did you speak with the most during lockdown? I think one of the most interesting aspects of this global pandemic was the freedom to communicate with friends and family near and far; and for many people, more of this happened than before. I absolutely connected more with old friends overseas than I would have in my normal busy life; and I spent more time connecting deeply and meaningfully with my own family. Remembering who those relationships that you nurtured during this time are so important – these are the people in your life that you can rely on in a crisis and the ones who you reach out to support during a crisis. These are your people, keep them close.

Mental health.

Your own mental health, the mental health of those around you, and the mental health of your community. It is so important to normalize and to recognize the symptoms, causes, and effects of mental health. A lot of my own personal reflection has been on my mental health, and in turn, using that to aide my clients. What makes me happiest? What brings me joy, calm, peace? What makes me angry and upset? Learning about yourself will help you better assist others in your life. If you feel like you are struggling and cannot cope, or are concerned about a loved one or family member – SPEAK TO A PROFESSIONAL. Mental health is incredibly personal and important. Please know that you are not alone and that it is ok to ask for help. For resources in your jurisdiction, click here.