COVID-19: Lessons Learned so Far
Most of us could never have anticipated living through a worldwide pandemic. The impacts on individuals, families, societies, and systems are already being examined. Let’s take a look at some lessons learned so far and how we might carry them in to the future with us.
We’re more resilient, flexible and adaptable than we thought possible. I’m willing to bet that many of us did something in the last year that we previously said we could never do. When faced with the need to change, we adapted, evolved, and accommodated others. We survived everything from unimaginable hardships to disruption of daily tasks. I hope we take the time to celebrate that strength and remember what we are capable of when difficult times arise in the future.
We are social beings and we need each other. Social isolation can have real impacts on our mental and emotional wellbeing. We need physical, social, and emotional contact. It’s important to understand our needs, check in on those around us, and seek support when needed. Utilizing technology, social media, reading books, and going for walks outside have been helpful ways for many of us to stay connected to each other. They don’t replace face to face contact and physical touch, but they can help get us through difficult periods.
A healthy amount of time and space can be good for us. While the pandemic left some feeling isolated and lacking in socialization, others found the increased alone time and space healing and enjoyable. Just as a lack of social time can impact some individuals, too much social time can be a challenge too. Some healthy space can actually improve our relationships with ourselves and others. It’s important to know ourselves and work to create the balance that we need as individuals.
Decision fatigue is real. We’ve heard the term, but it’s been a year of constant choices that we never thought we’d have to make. Simple events, medical questions, and daily tasks have at times become agonizing decisions, especially when the individuals around us have varying levels of comfort. Try to simplify the parts of your life that you do have control over. Plan ahead and automate tasks that lend themselves to automation. Allow yourself to ponder and weigh choices, but put limits on this time before it becomes unproductive.
It’s an important time to connect with our intuition and imagination. Allowing ourselves some time and space to turn inward, move our bodies, meditate, or be in nature are just some of many ways that we can improve our relationship with our intuition and authentic selves. Breaks from being busy and distracted allow us to imagine, think and act creatively, and find ideas and solutions we didn’t know we had in us.
It’s important to support local businesses that we care about. Whether restaurants, shops, farms, or services, we all have our favorites. Supporting local business usually means supporting our neighbors, owners with an investment in the community, and a smaller carbon footprint. The stories of business owners who got creative, reimagined, and will continue to rebuild in changing times are inspiring.
It feels good to move through the day to our own rhythm. Many of us have seen an increase in the ability to move through our responsibilities more in accordance with our natural rhythm. Whether sleeping in a bit later and waking up without an alarm, exercising and eating at a certain times of the day, or participating in social interactions at a more comfortable pace, you may have gotten to know yourself better as you’ve had time to explore. It might not be possible to carry all of your new habits or routines into the future, but consider how to keep as much as you can.
We have power to act in accordance with our values. There is a great deal of inequity and injustice in the world. Sometimes the issues feel so big, that we become overwhelmed or even apathetic. Remember that your individual actions hold power. From the way you interact with your loved ones and neighbors, to the companies you choose to support with your money, collective action is composed of individuals making choices to help change the world for the better.
Tragic events can cause us to reevaluate and push us to make change. Whether it’s holding your loved ones close, finally leaving a job you are unhappy doing, pushing your dream to start a business, overhauling your habits, or simply practicing daily gratitude, I hope we’re all able to move through the pandemic experiencing at least one gift, lesson, act of bravery, special memory, or lesson learned.
Wellness is so much more than simply the absence of sickness. Wellness is caring for ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually but recognizing that no one is ever perfect at this. Wellness is striving for balance while leaning in more heavily to the areas that most need our attention in certain seasons of life. Wellness is fueling our bodies with real food, movement, media, information, and relationships that uplift us. Wellness is working and contributing in ways that help us feel productive and satisfied. Wellness is securing some savings so that we don’t have to experience financial fear anytime something unexpected happens to us. Wellness is sometimes making big leaps and other times moving the needle just a hair. Wellness is every time you have a thought or take an action towards yourself or others that reflects love, kindness, and forgiveness.
Help is available as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit awiltoncoaching.com or reach out today if coaching could be helpful to you on your journey.