The New Normal
Navigating This Strange World
“All over the world, people are being quarantined and are being compelled to practice social distancing. We are trying to desperately to remain sane in a world that seems bordering on the insane. So, the time is just right for us to ponder, reflect, meditate, and discover the world within our own minds.”
– Avijeet Das
Man, what a surreal life we are all living at the moment. So many uncertainties and not much within our own control. As stated in the quote above, we are trying to remain sane in a world boring on insane… all the while starting to feel lonely and distant from those we love.
Everyone is coping with the uncertainties of this Global Pandemic differently. There are ones who panic and go into survival mode (AKA hoarding toilet paper), and those who feel so fear stricken and full of anxiety they can hardly do anything, then there are those who try to remain calm and practice to keep their days as “normal” as possible. What is “normal” now? What will life be like after this “storm”?
“The storm is out there and every one of us must eventually face the storm. When the storm comes, pray that it will shake you to your roots and break you wide-open. Being broken open by the storm is your only hope. When you are broken open you get to discover for the first time what is inside you. Some people never get to see what is inside them; what beauty, what strength, what truth and love. They were never broken open by the storm. So, don’t run from your pain — run into your pain. Let life’s storm shatter you.”
— Bryant McGill
Take time to reflect on your life as it has been and as you’d like to see it going forward. Let’s ponder on how we can be and do just a little better for ourselves and our children. Let’s create some meaningful moments! This is something we can control and can do during a Pandemic.
What have you discovered about yourself over the last few weeks?
What meaningful moments have you created?
“We will come out of this storm. In the coming days, we have to stay calm and confident. And for sure, we will overcome this moment of despair. How long this will last cannot be ascertained. But the one thing that we can be sure of is that we will not be the same anymore. Hopefully, we would have changed for the better. This is the way of life. This is how life teaches us its lessons.”
— Avijeet Das
We can only hope that we will indeed come out better after all of this.
Below I will list a few things that have helped me through this strange and distant time.
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One that has helped keep things in perspective for me is listening to a new Podcast by Brene Brown called Unlocking Us. You can find the full Podcast HERE. She has this amazing ability to say things as they are and allow you to feel and find comfort in that. Plus, it’s actually quite entertaining!
Words of Brene Brown from an earlier episode:
“Three learnings that have been life-shifting for me:
1. Anxiety is one of the most contagious emotions – that’s why it always takes down groups of people, not just individuals.
2. Calm is also contagious, but it’s a daily intention and practice.
3. We all have patterned ways of dealing with anxiety that are often set up in our first families. Understanding how and why can set us free.”
But, seriously, go listen to ALL the episodes!
List Continued:
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Zoom! Talking with multiple friends and family at once and enjoying Happy Hour together!
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Another fun app is Houseparty! You can find it HERE. This is similar to Zoom where you can have multiple people on at a time, but you can also play games and join in on anyone’s conversation without being invited 😉
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Listening to one of my favorite music artists: Jose Gonzalez. Below is one of his videos on Youtube OR click HERE (https://youtu.be/ik_BQYbbZ5U)
