Readying Yourself for the New Normal with Practical Hope

4/25/2020

If you live in Illinois like me… or even other parts of the country or world for that matter… the stay-at-home orders have been extended. However, as much as we look forward to when our communities can start opening safely, many of us (including myself ) both look forward to and fear when that day comes. How to ready ourselves for the new normal?

It’s an understatement to say that our lives have changed during this COVID-19 pandemic. No longer is running a simple errand so simple. Even the 5-second rule (when you drop food on the floor) is a thing of the past.

Whether the pandemic has presented you with career and money challenges, you are facing health and healthcare concerns, or you just aren’t sure how to go about doing those everyday life things… you are not alone.

And while sheltering in, some of us have adopted new roles and responsibilities within our households and within our families. Our pre-pandemic routines may no longer apply to our current circumstances let alone when the time comes when we are able to experience more of our lives outside of the confines of our homes.

Sometimes we fear the uncertainty of the “new”... even when we know the present is both temporary and not that pleasant to put it mildly. And uncertainty looms as the world and our communities settle into what is becoming the new normal…. which is yet to be determined.

So how do we use our sheltering-in time to ready ourselves for our new normal while making the most of the present?

This post is about creating and stepping into practical hope for readying yourself for the opportunities of our new normal that is yet to be determined while living purposefully within the confines of the present moment.

Accept that life has changed: Things will not return to the old norm. Be welcome to a new norm with both new opportunities and challenges.

Acknowledge your (newfound) talents: If you are like me, you may have discovered some skills that have been dormant until facing some of the challenges in this crisis. For example, I’ve discovered that I have some handyman (or shall I say handywoman) skills when addressing some repair issues in my bathroom. I’ve become very creative in sourcing some hard-to-find items I’ve needed. And I’ve become more tech savvy. Again, list your newfound skills along with those you were using using pre-pandemic. List even the seemingly insignificant ones like home improvement skills.

Actively envision what you want for your new normal: Being sheltered in and removed from our pre-pandemic routines, we have time to give ourselves a life review. Take an honest look at what you liked about your life, as well as what parts of your routine that were counterproductive to creating the life you want. List both. And for now, allow yourself to list dreams that would be outside of your comfort zone to achieve.

Write these down… The action of writing infuses an enhanced energy into your dreams and desires. And write them in pencil to allow for flexibility and miracles. What do you want a typical day to look like? What are some special experiences you want to experience?

List what your "new normal" entails: For your desired typical day, what does it entail? Given this is where you spend the majority of your life, this deserves more of your attention than say that dream trip to that exotic location.

What you are doing is creating a step-by-step guide for what you need to do to feel the way you want to feel to create the life you want. Do you go for a walk first thing in the morning for your physical and mental well being for activating your problem solving, creative, or nurturing skills? Would meeting business contacts for coffee once a week be helpful in helping you reach your career desires?

Start activating your new post-sheltering-in lifestyle. Can you start taking those morning walks? If you can… get moving. However, if not, … this leads me to

Modify actions not possible at this time: If you can’t start a post-pandemic routine action at this time because your children are at home, for example... no worries. You can either modify the time you take your walk. Or you can substitute an in-home alternative like doing a 20-minutes workout. YouTube has a big selection for various levels and types of fitness. With being sheltered in… maybe you plan a weekly phone or video call with a hot cup of joe in the morning for some productive coffee talk.

Address everyday changes (and your biggest everyday fears): In these current and post sheltering-in times, things won’t be the same. Handshakes are a thing of the past. Even running basic errands will now entail additional steps and planning.

Personally, this is my biggie. I haven’t stepped foot into a store since sheltering-in over a month ago. Sure, I go for my morning walks in the great outdoor. But I haven’t been in a shared indoor space. And my biggest fear with this is carrying the germs from the store to my car and then in my house. So one of my action items this week is to create a plan and a clean kit for my car to minimize the transfer of germs from my shoes into “my spaces”. In other words… as I’ve created and implemented clean procedures for deliveries to my home, I can create the same for for errands in readying for the loosening of the stay at home guidelines. (Wearing a protective mask and social distancing are also action items in my plan.)

Address other changes (and your biggest everyday fears): For example, I used to go to the local movie theater to meet up (with a Meetup group) to take in an independent flick or new release. However, I worry about socializing in an enclosed setting in this COVID-19 environment…. particularly when the greatest medical minds have yet to wrap their heads around a successful treatment and vaccine. So I decided that until those are determined and easily accessible to someone like myself that I will attend only outdoor activities… again where I can social distance and where my stylish protective mask.

Acknowledge where you could benefit from the talents of others: We were not created to go through life alone. And successful people recognize their non-strengths shall we say and have the courage to ask for and enlist the help of others’ strengths and talents…. freeing them to do what they do best. Technology can also help with a weakness… like having the drawing and painting skills of a 5-year old… but that’s just me. Remember, we are in this lifetime together.

Additional Tips for Your Well-being
Watch how you feed your mind: Limit your access to the news... which is currently 75% COVID-19. You can get the info and updates you need in less than 10 minutes. And consider the source(s) of your information. I am not here to tell you how to get your news... rather to remind you to check yourself in the quality and quantity of media you are ingesting... and how it is impacting your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Learn something new: Ever want to learn how to cook, juggle, or train your dog new tricks? If you have time on your hands, why not explore talents you did not know you had.... or discover a new one. I have a few cool courses if you’re interested.

Congratulate yourself on what you’ve accomplished: If you are like me and you’ve done some fix-its and some handy work around your home, give yourself a pat on the back… and occasionally walk by it and admire your work. (My dad gave me that advice.) Also, if you are now both your children's parent AND teacher, give yourself a gold star… even if nobody else is. Or if you completed online course and learned something new, celebrate that too!

Sending you good energy. :)

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