Over a month ago, if someone would have told us what we know today about the current COVID-19 situation, we would’ve ridiculed them for it. I remember being a victim of this myself where I was simply just downplaying and joking about the coronavirus. Fast forward to a few weeks later, our lives were changed in the blink of an eye.
As we sit under quarantine for over a month now, we are left pondering hopelessly from absurd conspiracy theories to the criticism of the government’s leadership in response to this pandemic and trying to stay updated on daily news only drives our insanity through the roof. Now, you may be asking yourself: how can anyone bring themselves to be productive let alone find peace amongst all this chaos? There is no answer to this, as we are all coping with these rather strange times differently. While for some, this may be the most “free time” they will most likely ever get in their lives, others are working tirelessly to fight this invisible enemy at the front lines.
For those who are fortunate enough to work from home, have a roof over your head, and food on the table, you don’t realize how blessed you truly are! So many others are struggling at this time that can’t afford not to work, or their mental health is detoriorating and anxiety is amplified as self-isolation only makes this worse for them. Let’s take this critical moment to re-evalute some of our own essentials.
What actually matters in your life? Is it your job? Is it the relationship(s) your are in? The money you make? What are those “essentials” that you really NEED?
Prior to this pandemic, many would complain constantly or demand more money, a better car, a bigger house, etc. to make them happy or boost their self-esteem (temporarily). Take this moment to reflect upon and show gratitude towards the people and things you took for granted before. Do those materialistic items still hold their value when your health or the health of a loved one is on the line? The greed was becoming relentless and overpowering.
Perhaps, a fair amount of us can agree that in a weird way this crisis can serve to teach us some valuable lessons. As humans’ natural tendencies, we have gravitated towards living complex and routine-based lives that in the process we forgot what basic human connection and interaction is anymore.
Think about this for a moment. You may have been living under the same roof with your parents or significant other, but when was the last time you sat down to have dinner together or let alone have a real conversation with them, not through a text or phone call?
Maybe this situation will help rekindle some of those long lost relationships and the time that you never had for your kids, your spouse or even yourself. As humans, we all have to slow our roll at times and in what seemed like overnight–the world came to a halt. While some may look at this as a negative thing due to the plunge it’s had on our economy and a variety of other factors, but if you look at it from a philosophical or spiritual standpoint, you will come to the realization that there is a much larger force at play here.
Now, you finally have the time to focus on all the things you’ve been avoiding over the years. The pressure to be somewhere or do something is no longer there as time became non-existent and the days have blended together. There’s no need to rush anymore! It’s time to come to terms with your deepest, darkest desires and make a run towards it. As Dave Hollis said, “in the rush to return back to normalcy, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.”
