Ok, raise your hand if you’ve experienced a pandemic before. Right, I didn’t think so.
The current global climate is unprecedented, and to state the obvious, has impacted the world in so many ways. If you have an inner introvert, being asked to distance yourself from others might have been relieving, and even welcomed. If you’re extroverted, well let’s be real: this is a big ask. But we do it, we navigate our days (and our distance) by honouring and respecting the boundaries of others. In fact, there is something unifying about this process, a feeling that we are in this together, let’s look for and care for each other.
But it’s not always easy. What I think many of us have in common is the desire for structure, the capacity to be prepared for what is expected of us through societal norms. I tend to have appropriate situational anxiety, the kind that appears when things are changing (like a big move and I can’t anticipate the future the way I had before) an I’m finding that doing the things that used to bring me inner peace and calmness (going to the gym or window shopping) is doing the exact opposite. Anyone with me on this? When things are constantly in flux, it can cause our systems to feel off kilter. And not knowing what is the appropriate norm in all aspects of life is off-putting.
In British Columbia, Wal-Mart just announced it is mandatory to wear a mask every time you enter the store. It’s August. We’ve navigated the last five months without masks in this anchor store, and now suddenly it’s a new rule. A new social etiquette to remember. It is hard for people to settle into routine, consistency, and a level of expectation when the rules are changing. Yes, I know policy changes are based on the research as it presents itself to the policy makers, but our nervous systems struggle to apply logic to emotions. The fact is, change is unsettling, until we adjust. But if the expectations are changing, or each venue is different, chasing that moving target doesn’t give us a chance to settle in. Anxiety is brimming just below the surface for many of us. And seems to show up in some of the most unusual (or usual) ways.
COVID-19 has given us all quite the ride. Emotionally, physically, and financially. Take a minute to reflect on that. Emotionally. Physically. Financially. Take a minute to notice how much you are holding on as you read these words, as hey are sinking in, and you are thinking about your own losses, or gains. Notice any of the sensations that come for you while you do this. Every single tiny thing you feel is acceptable. Do you notice a weight in your stomach? Or a tingle behind your eyes? Just notice it, let it be there, and allow it flow.
With so many unknowns in the world, it can be a challenge to keep ourselves in check. It can feel like we are always at our max and simple things can push us over the edge. Our capacity is stretched, and the usual daily activities are much less consistent than they once were.
You guys, I know. I get this. I feel it too. I bet you thought I had a therapeutic answer to this. I don’t know. The world is wounded, and together we need to heal. As we do this, apply pressure to your heart. Hold it with kindness and honour the experience each other person is having too. But not in too close of proximity, we can’t be talking too moistly near each other.
Please leave me a comment or ask any questions. I enjoy feedback, and I love hearing what others have to say.
