Many wonder what life will look like when lockdown is lifted. What will our new normal look like? Maybe we think of it as a better normal rather than a new normal?
The uncertainty that lies ahead has created ample fear and stress. Living through this pandemic is continuing to be challenging. We can operate from fear and remain in our reptilian brain or we can choose to take a breath and decide to have a sense of choice and tease some lessons that were plopped on us!
Here are 5 takeaways that can help with coping through the next steps of this new, better normal that we have no choice but to embrace
1. Stuff, and Maybe Less Stuff?
Shelter in place created many difficulties, including limiting modern conveniences such as shopping at a mall, going to the salon, and running to the grocery store to grab a single ingredient. Even though decreasing these luxuries posed difficulty for some of us, maintaining a life full of happiness has remained very possible.
If there is one thing that quarantine has taught us, it is that we do not need all the conveniences that we have become so accustomed to. Lock-down has reminded us to appreciate the accessibility to basic necessities. Many of us have taken this time to declutter our lives. Let’s remove the items that no longer add value. Keeping a clear mind will help us cope with the rapid changes we have had no choice in adapting to. We may have become aware that consumption of material goods seems to occupy unnecessary space in our minds creating stress, anxiety, and discontent. By taking the time to simplify and reduce, our appreciation of life seems to have improved. We have discovered that we need less than what we thought we do, hence creating a happier and healthier mental state.
2. Our Social Connections
With the onset of the shelter in place mandate, our reliance on social media and Zoom meetings has significantly increased. This results in a new appreciation for in-person interactions that we used to dread sometimes! Remember those days when we felt like “Ugh, I really don’t want to go to this gathering?” To decrease loneliness, allow yourself to have social experiences that feel safe according to how you would like your bubble to be. Remember each of us has our own comfort level with what feels right for us and we must try not to judge others.
Although social media and Zoom have provided temporary solutions, we all still crave in-person interaction. Through following social distancing guidelines, physical interaction becomes more realistic. Although hugging and other forms of touch may not be comfortable, seeing a friend allows you to make physical eye contact and provide the opportunity to read body language which can make up for what Zoom and social media lack. To avoid general stress and anxiety, step out of your comfort zone to the level at which it feels comfortable to you. Visit with a neighbor with good social distancing and wearing your mask, take a walk with a friend that you miss terribly, go to a beach or park that is not crowded while observing social distancing protocols.
3. Simplicity is Valuable
Simplicity is not the same for everyone. Find what simplifying your life means, whether that be through grounding exercises or appreciating nature. Simplicity provides you with the opportunity of achieving open-mindedness which can generate optimism about the future. When we experience nature, the earth, a beautiful sunset, all those experiences remind us that we are a part of the huge universe and that we matter. Simplicity is feeling the green grass under your feet and the smell of the earth. Simplicity is playing Uno with your children and having the best laugh you may not have had in years!
4. Family is the Most Important Unit
Living through a stay-at-home mandate has provided us with an abundance of time with family. For good or not so good family members have become the primary source of human contact. Many people live by themselves and for them, this pandemic has highlighted their aloneness in more ways than one. Unrelated friends who live alone, can gather for support and create a family unit. Quarantine Pods have become a part of the new normal and as human beings, we all have realized the degree to which we need to be around people and that we thrive in the simplest of connections. Family, in any form, continues to be a constant that an individual relies on and will remain important throughout “this new normal.” We can also see the silver lining in this pandemic with the way in which everyone was forced to slow down for at least a full two months!
5. Building up immune systems and creating greater resistance through brain health
One of the largest takeaways for us has been the importance of a healthy body and how vital it is to strengthen our immune system. Since restaurants were closed, we all began to cook more at home and began to cook more nutritious food. Children and teens started to learn to cook and come together at the table. Part of achieving a stronger immune system begins with enhancing brain health. This can be accomplished by adding mindfulness techniques into your daily routine. Research has shown that gratitude journals improve immunity dramatically. Adding this simple routine, we will feel less stressed and more appreciative of life. Breath and the focus on deep exhales has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant. Keeping our vitamin D levels in a good place, eating all colors of the rainbow, and allowing there to be lots of time to play boosts our longevity.
Interested in learning more about how we utilize Neurofeedback? Contact us! Healthy Within is an integrative brain health center, experienced in incorporating neurofeedback to help people re-engage in their wholeness and wellness. We also help clients with ADHD, PTSD, depression, anxiety, OCD, stroke, dementia, and more. We can help you get your mind back to functioning at its best, happy self.
