As we all start to emerge from this time of quarantine and figure out what life will look like over the coming weeks and months, what will we go back to?
There is “no one size fits all” general experience.
Everyone has been dealing differently depending on their own personal circumstances, belief systems, and worldview, however we have certainly all been affected in some way.
While there are some parts of the pandemic experience that I’m sure we’re ready to leave behind, when there are enormous life-impacting events like this, it would serve us well to spend just a few minutes reflecting on what we might be able to take out of the experience.
Here are some examples of questions that could get you started in reflecting on your COVID-19 experience:
- Were there activities or people that left a big hole in your life, and others you didn’t miss as much?
- How did enforced downtime enrich certain areas of your life and deplete others?
- Are there any pieces that felt like a positive change?
- How did the change in social media impact your view of yourself or your life (fewer posts about people going on vacations or going to parties/spending time with friends, increase in political/activism/ gratitude posts, etc)?
- How do you feel about virtual connection – does it feed you, or does it feel like harder work than seeing people in person?
- Are there any parts that might have been positive in smaller doses, but that became overwhelming or draining due to the length or intensity (ex being at home more, having more downtime, working from home, homeschooling, cleaning more thoroughly, etc)?
Personally, having the time to take a daily walk is something that I never knew I was missing until quarantine. I also noticed that there were certain places and people who I desperately wanted to see, while other activities felt like less of a sacrifice to give up.
While I know we are all very ready to return to some sense of normalcy and safety, it would be a shame to let some of those realizations fall by the wayside, as they can give you important information about yourself and your true needs and values.