We’re all weary. Our past year didn’t go as we planned. Schools, businesses, religious services, vacations had to pivot to a new reality. Nothing seemed normal, whatever “normal” means. When I hear someone ask, “When will things return to normal?” I squirm. Things won’t return to normal. Our former life is gone; what was normal no longer exists. That might seem like a downer, but it could be exactly the opposite. We have the chance to create something new.
Yes, we want our children physically in the classroom, playing soccer, enjoying making music in the school band. We want to have a steady job, earn a living and pay our bills. And we want more, to visit with friends, go out to dinner, attend a baseball game, go to a concert.
Yet, with all that we want and wish for, fear lingers in our heads. Who do I feel safe with going out to dinner? When I return to work on-site, how will I know it’s safe and who is vaccinated? How do I handle my family who disagrees with me about vaccinations and I don’t want a confrontation about what I should or should not do?
We need to move forward at some point, with fear and uncertainty surrounding us. How do we cope with that, manage anxiety and stress we feel?
First, we need to acknowledge what we’re feeling.
Second, do something physical, take a walk, take time to look at the flowering trees and celebrate spring, ride a bicycle.
Third, limit time scrolling on our phones, listening to or watching the news. Get ourselves away from staring at a screen. Listen to our favorite music instead or read a written devotional or meditation.
This is a time to consider taking a class that promotes managing stress and creating stillness, like Tai Chi or Yoga of Meditation It’s a time to go for a professional massage or acupuncture to enhance your health, to talk with a psychologist or psychotherapist about our anxieties and how to move through them.
The key is to do something specific and positive. Take that step to get outside or yourself and move forward to the new reality that is unfolding ahead.
Arlene Faulk, Heartwood Tai Chi Instructor
