Over the last 3 weeks, we’ve all had to adapt to all kinds of new situations. Working from home, kids at home, not being able to enjoy the outings we once took for granted.
Now that we’ve been at it for a few weeks, many of us are starting to find our rhythm a bit. Some have stuck to their pre-COVID schedules, others have found a new pace and routine in quarantine.
We are all looking forward to the day when we can go out to eat with friends, see a movie, go shopping at “nonessential” stores and just get back to some semblance of normal.
But what about the next few weeks? By all accounts, we can expect this “new normal” to be around for a while longer.
If you are finding the idea of a few more weeks of quarantine distressing, let me give you some advice….
- Focus on what is within your control.
- Don’t give in to fear and allow it to dictate your outcome.
- Even when things feel completely out of control, you get to decide how you will respond to the situation.
It starts with knowing what you want and how you want to feel.
Feeling isolated?
Reach out and invite a friend to video chat over Facetime or Zoom.
Feeling concerned about finances?
Take an hour to do research into the options available to you through your bank, credit union, or mortgage lender. Go through your bank statements and find expenses you can reduce or eliminate even temporarily.
Feeling depressed?
Get outside for a bit. Go for a walk, or just sit outside and feel the sun on your face. Move your body. Turn up some music and dance. Find a heartwarming movie or laugh-out-loud comedy to watch on Netflix.
The bottom line is that you have the ability to control your response to this situation. The first step is to make a decision that you will think and behave in a way that moves you away from the negative emotion. Don’t feel as if you have to make a jump from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other, just focus on taking one small step in a positive direction… then another… and another
