It is the year 2020 and it seems like we are all living in a Hollywood movie awaiting the climax. But the movie seems to be going on for too long and the happy climatic ending is nowhere to be seen. Doesn’t it seem like Morgan Freeman would be speaking in the background and very soon the journalists would be talking about one or major iconic buildings of the world getting destroyed (think Statue of Liberty in New York, the Christ Reedemer in Rio de Janeiro and so on). And in the end, maybe Natalie Portman or Tom Hanks would come up with a magic vaccine and save us ALL! That sounds like a good movie script, doesn’t it?! But alas, this is real life!
Most of us are living through this once in a lifetime event – and if it hasn’t affected us directly, it must have affected someone within our six degrees of separation – either physically, financially or mentally. Let’s hope & pray it does not affect anyone close to you physically (or at least until there is a sure shot cure). Financially, I am sure it is going to affect all of us one way or the other. But most of us are getting affected mentally and its hard to maintain resilience when everything around you seems so darn negative.
- Embracing the introvert in you – One of the most annoying aspects of the Covid era is that people have to stay put inside their homes and not meet other people. Human beings are by design social, and the lack of interaction is a big challenge for several of us. That being said, the introverts are liking the lack of interaction and the solitude, which gives them more energy. Most of us are not 100% introverts or 100% extroverts, and fall somewhere in between on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Embrace the part of you that likes to be alone sometimes, remember times when you had so many party/meeting invites that you used to get exhausted by another invite. If you still crave for human interaction, use technology to reach out to old & new friends and family. Everyone will appreciate a little interaction in these times.
- Seeing the positive in family time – Some of us are annoyed and irritated by our families (well there’s no need to sugar coat it). Its normal and humane to feel annoyed with spouses, kids and parents when you are stuck in the same house with them day in and day out. But remember you will never get this chance to spend such a long amount of time with family again. Take this opportunity to get to know your partners, parents, kids and even pets in ways you might not have thought of before. And when they do get on your nerves, because they will – take a walk, but be grateful for their health & presence in your lives.
- Reducing news time – Have you noticed news is predominantly negative?! Yes, that’s how it works I guess (except for some few good sources, I am thinking SOME GOOD NEWS by John Krasinki). Let’s face it – the pandemic is not going away that easily, there are still going to be more deaths, some folks are still going to make this political (irrespective of the country you live in), economically its going to be a disaster for a long time and blah blah. But we don’t need a reminder of this everyday – especially when humans do not get the social interaction that they need to be happy. So be aware of things happening around you and globally – but don’t get obsessed with checking news every few minutes.
- Reflecting on self – This is a great time to work on self. There is no dearth of time since there’s no where to go, no traffic to sit in, no parties to attend, no social obligations to be a part of and so on. Take this time to think about your self – your life – the way you want it to be, where you want to be personally and/or professionally. Write it out in a journal, diary or an online document for your self and think what practical steps you can take to reach your desired life. Be truthful to yourself about your own shortcomings – its fine everyone has those (its important to be aware of those rather than dismiss them) and you don’t need to change yourself. But think how you can work around those shortcomings and weakness, as they might be limiting you in reaching your desired outcomes. Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby, if that’s what motivates you.
- Being kind to yourself – But most of all, be kind to yourself! There’s a lot going on – if you and your loved ones are doing physically fine, be grateful. If you are financially somewhat in the same state as before – be thankful for that. Don’t push yourself to be productive ALL the time, or pressure yourself into getting that perfect body, new business, best cooked dishes or what not. Accept that it is a tough time and you are doing the best you can to cope with it. So its totally okay, if you are enjoying that glass of wine more often than before.
What do you think? How are you staying resilient in these times?
Love & light,
Kuki
