Life is different and things have shifted. A few people have embraced the current changes and are thriving in the new normal, while some are still in disbelief about how life has changed, or struggling to adjust to the new conditions. If you are not 100% at peace, a great starting point is to be okay with what you are feeling now. Accepting where you are at takes away judgment and allows you to move from there. If you are struggling, you are probably facing a sense of loss over what used to be; this loss may include work, your lifestyle, time to yourselves, finances, and the list could go on. With any loss, there is a grieving process, and you will go through the various stages of grief to get to the other side where you can be at peace with how things are. Here’s a quick way to identify what stage you are at and some suggestions to move forward:
Denial – Refusing to believe that the pandemic is true. This could show up as pretending that nothing has happened and trying to force the old routine on yourself and others. Or shutting yourself off from the world because you can’t face the changes. What’s needed: The ability to face the situation. You can do this by journaling all the changes that have happened and acknowledge what has changed.
Anger – Blaming people for how bad things are for you. This could be blaming your country, another country, the government, or your partner for not putting better contingency plans in place. What’s needed: Catharsis for your emotions. Acknowledge that you have anger and allow yourself to release it through breath-work or cardio exercise. It’s okay to feel and release your emotions.
Depression – Focusing on what’s not there and behaving like a victim. This can lead to feeling like the world has stopped and you are helpless and empty. What’s needed: Action and movement. If you are only focusing on what has stopped, you will feel helpless and stuck. The reverse of that is to keep moving, in any direction. If something has stopped, something else would be there in place of it, look for what is there instead. Then start taking some action to do things you like; any action will create a shift of energy.
Once you move through these stages, you would probably reach a place where you can intellectually accept the loss. And finally, after processing your intellectual understanding, you would be at a place where you can accept that what was is now over, and you are continuously moving forward.
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