A Time for a New “Normal”

Back on Christmas of 2019 we had no idea what was about to come. We thought our normal would never change as much as it has. To say that we have lived through some stuff would be an understatement. To say that we are all in this together would be a lie. We all have experience the last 2 years differently. Different thoughts and opinions on what is right. Different reality based off of working from home, working with masks, working as if nothing changed. We all have had different timelines of how frequently we wear masks, stay at home, feel well. Now we are supposed to… what?

For the most part, most of us have figured out how to get on with our day to day life regardless of what changes in the news each day. We have not all healed from what has happened, but we keep moving forward. Some of us have lost family from this virus. Some of us refuse to believe that it is real. Some of us live somewhere in between. We do not know how long we have to keep on going without going back to how we used to be, or if we ever will. One step in front of the other is how we get through.

We cannot go backwards. We cannot erase what has happened. What happened to me over these last two years is different than what has happened to you. I work at two jobs where we are still wearing masks. I still get worried in big crowds of unmasked people inside places. I am vaccinated and boosted. My hands are dry from washing them so much. My great grandfather died from the virus which spread fast in the assisted living home where he lived. I got Covid and was alone in my apartment for Thanksgiving in 2020. I lost my smell and could not smell anything over Christmas of 2020. I have spent more hours alone in my apartment than I ever knew possible. I sometimes forget that I need to reach out to my friends and have time with people. This is my story. It is not over. I’ve been dealing with anxiety. It comes and goes. I have read through the Bible. I am still reading, listening to podcasts, going to or watching church online, listening to music and so many more things to keep my faith growing strong. Strengthening my faith is one way to help keep my inner peace so that I am not overwhelmed by the world around me.

You have a story, too. What will the people who come after us know about what we have lived through? How much will the children remember when they grow up? We have so many questions, so many things unknown to us now. It almost seems crazy to trust that everything is going to be okay because things have not been okay for so long. I believe that we have to find a way to stay calm through the chaos that is to come. Nothing is ever really “normal” as life is ever changing. I do not want to keep living in the fear and anxiety any more. I am trying to make my routines at home “normal” so that when my day gets chaotic I have a safe place to be, sleep, and breathe. A place to be okay with the unknowns. A place to hope for future things. A place to make plans. A place to cry. A place to feel. A place to pray. A place to unwind. Your place might be your house in general, or it might be a specific room or couch. Find some place you can designate to feel what you need to feel. Say or write what you need to put into words. Be, breathe and let go of whatever you are holding on too tight to. Pray. Find things to be grateful for. We all have at least one thing to be grateful for today.

The part of my new “normal” I am starting with includes paying attention to the small moments. They might be a giggle, a sunrise, a piece of chocolate, a chat with a friend, or something that only lasts for a minute. Those small moments and minutes add up to make a great life. Travel plans and big adventures are wonderful, but if we only wait to live until we go elsewhere, we will miss the days that we are here. These small moments are what make up the most of our life. Don’t wish them away. Live them, notice them, enjoy them and you will see more of them.

Write out your story. Share it with someone. See if it brings healing that you didn’t know you needed. Be open to feel whatever it is that you need to feel. Find friends and/ or a therapist to talk to about what is bothering your soul. Saying or writing out what you are feeling can help release the emotional tension that causes you physical pain. Have a support system- people that you depend on who can also depend on you. Breathe. figure out your next step. Notice the little things. They will add up to be as memorable as the big things.

I pray that you get to heal from whatever it is that has been a burden to you over the last two years. I pray that you let go of the anger, sadness, pain, and loss that you have felt. I pray that you take your next step forwards knowing that today might not be easy, but it is a new day with little moments to notice that might make you smile and slowly start to enjoy life again. Talk to your people. They care. Find someone to care for. Make them smile. Small moments matter. You are a stronger person because of what you have gone through. You can take another step forwards. Here is your nudge. Go. Breathe. Step.

– Em