When the world shut down for over a year, our inner and outer worlds shut down too.
Behind closed doors, we had very little opportunity to practice being open in any aspect of our lives.
Now, a post-pandemic life is in sight, and it’s triggering a lot of thoughts and feelings. Doing a quick google search will bring up articles on how traumatic it will be as we adjust to a new normal.
I want to explore this re-opening saga from a different angle.
There will be adjustments around routines, work-life balance, kids schedules, and daily living.
But we must also start to prepare for a re-opening of ourselves.
If we are thinking in metaphor, then re-opening holds even more weight than we realize. We will be re-opening our hearts, our minds, and our souls too.
Let’s start by thinking about what it means to open up on a personal level.
As an introvert, the words “open up” bring an immediate feeling of terror. I’m a private person, so it won’t be a surprise to learn that the pandemic quarantine has been a comfy place for me.
Anyone who has mastered the coveted skill of being social is chomping at the bit to re-emerge.
But if you’re like me, you might be one of the many people in a panic about the post-pandemic emergence.
For those of us who were never big fans of socializing, this will be a much more thoughtful process.
This New York Times article suggests we can be different after the pandemic.
This is good news, and not very surprising given how resilient we are as humans. But being different also means change, and change is not always fun.
One of the safest places to change is in the privacy of our own homes, and within our own minds.
It’s said that going into your own mind is like going into a bad neighborhood; you should never go there alone. This is one of the times that the risk is worth it.
A good place to start is with our mental attitude, and we work on our mental attitude by making shifts in our mind set.
Even if you feel a little resistant, here are three mind shifts you can make to emerge from the pandemic in a new way.
Mindshift #1: This is an opportunity.
The pandemic is a life challenge, and a transitional moment in time.
Challenges and transitions are opportune times to pivot and change.
When life is busy, we can miss these opportunities because we’re focusing on the future and the “when” of things.
We also lose sight by seeing our present experience as one of waiting or enduring instead of a time to reflect.
Allow yourself time to take in the magnitude of this pandemic, and how you’re feeling affected by it.
Think about the pandemic as an opportunity for growth. Shift your mind from fear to possibility.
Questions to ponder:
- How can I use this window of time to become clear on how I have changed?
- What intention do I want to set for myself as I emerge back into the world?
- What positive traits have I developed over the past year to bring forth with me?
Mindshift #2: This Makes Me Wiser
Everyone can collect wisdom over their lives, but it’s a choice not a given.
Wisdom is different than knowledge. It is hard-earned by making sense of life experience and turning that sense into meaning.
When we decide to learn from the past, we are practicing resilience.
This kind of resilience is also called post-traumatic growth by psychology researchers.
Post-traumatic growth brings positive change, and a new appreciation of life.
Pausing to reflect on lessons learned will remind you of your strengths, and how wise you have become.
This type of self-awareness doesn’t come along every day, so take advantage, and share it with the world.
Questions to Ponder:
- What have I learned about myself and others over the past year?
- What were some choices I made that proved helpful or harmful?
- What wisdom have I gained about life?
Mindshift #3: It’s Not Only About Me
Coming out of this pandemic it seems very possible that we understand how much we all need each other.
The sphere of influence we all have in our lives is like the ripple from a stone thrown in a pond. Our choices and behaviors go well beyond our own interest, and this has become crystal clear.
When we change ourselves, we change the world for better or worse. This is a constant reminder that we exist in unity with everyone, and everything.
There is no place for ego in the new world we are creating.
Remembering our significance and insignificance at the same time makes us humbler. Humility is the foundation of self-awareness, and of our collective healing.
The minute we realize that what we’ve all gone through is bigger than each one of us, we’re on the path to real change.
Questions to Ponder:
- Am I holding everyone’s best interest in my mind?
- What is within my sphere of influence?
- Are my choices in the service of the greater good or my own personal interest?
There is so much we cannot control with this pandemic. The one place we can have some power is over our minds, and how we see the world.
Making these mind shifts will help us make the most of our experience to not feel the time was a waste. Letting the pandemic change us for the better is a form of healing.
Showing up as a new and improved version of ourselves is in the best interest of everyone. This is the kind of personal change that brings collective transformation. Something we need a lot more of.
As we emerge into a new normal, let’s wear our change as a badge of honor, and bask in the glory of being better and different.
Making these mind shifts will help us make the most of our experience to not feel the time was a waste. Letting the pandemic change us for the better is a form of healing.
Showing up as a new and improved version of ourselves is in the best interest of everyone. This is the kind of personal change that brings collective transformation. Something we need a lot more of.
As we emerge into a new normal, let’s wear our change as a badge of honor, and bask in the glory of being better and different.