What Day Is It?
What day is it? I’m losing track.
Joking or not, many of my recent conversations typically are starting off with this type of banter. Some days fly by while others drag on. Days are molding together and sometimes weeks are flying by. Today is March 31st, 2020. How is it still March? Why does it seem like March has lasted a year? Unfortunately, it seems that April is going to be similar and your best bet is to physically & mentally prepare for another month of social distancing. I’m not a doctor and I’m not going to vent about how to fix this situation, though I think I’m fairly accurate when I say that the sooner we all comply & stay home (except for emergencies), the sooner we will be able to enjoy the spring air with each other.
I’m never going to take an invite to happy hour with friends for granted ever again - that is for sure.
Last week I wrote about how to work from home and received great feedback to the pointers I shared. I have found that #TheGroundFloor blog has given me an extra sense of creativity & communication that I always knew I’d enjoy but never felt I had the proper platform to give it a try. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have started this blog years ago. If you’re in a similar situation, let’s chat. Writing has increased my feeling of independence. Any opportunity I have to inspire or guide just one person is a victory for me.
While it appears that social distancing is going to continue through at least the month of April, it is important to continue to take care of yourself. Some say it takes 21 days to make a habit and we are approaching that deadline. When the quarantine began, we did not know how long this would last. A week? A month? A year? We still don’t know, but we must be vigilant!
The ENTIRE world had to adjust their normal routines. For some, bodies are changing slightly, “quarantine depression” is kicking-in and we miss seeing our friends & family. We are realizing how lucky we are to watch & attend sporting events, go out for dinner & drinks, go to the movies or strike up a conversation with a total stranger. WHEN this all passes (not “if”), we are going to find ourselves living in a world that may seem totally different. Are we going to be overly-paranoid about germs? Are we going to avoid standing too close to others? Will stadiums & arenas still sell-out? The biggest question I keep asking myself, “Is a handshake going to become a thing of the past?”.
These are all normal things to wonder as we are in the midst of what I believe will be remembered as the most historical moment in time of our lives. I’ll leave you with a few thoughts, comments and tips on how to get through:
Ask Yourself, “How Am I Doing?”
Continue to accept the situation we are experiencing and do what you need to keep a sense of “normal” in your life. You likely have not found your “quarantine routine” yet and that is ok. Begin to figure out what works & what does not work for you. Are you on a consistent sleep schedule? Are you exercising at the same time each day? Are you eating healthy or binging on snacks that you wouldn’t normally eat? It’s ok if things are slightly different right now. It’s ok if your body is making changes as that happens when routines change. Continue to check-in with yourself, however that may be best for you.
Check-In with Others
I am very lucky to live with my fiance and our dog, so I do not have a full understanding of what some may be going through who have been totally isolated from in-person human interaction while quarantined. I could most closely relate to the feeling of being alone from when I first moved to Nashville, Tennessee for a new job in 2014. I understand what it’s like to feel totally isolated and it is possible to get through it. Thankfully, I had great friends & family to keep me busy while I was still finding myself in the great state of Tennessee. Checking-in with each other is essential. We have resources like Facetime & Zoom to be in-person with each other without physically being “in-person”. Continue to make sure your friends & family are ok. Send them a nice note, a nice treat or a gift card for a food-delivery service. They’ll remember you helping them to get through tough times.
Never Forget
People may joke about how they are going to be traumatized by this experience. Others are very serious about how the COVID-19 quarantine will cause great trauma, paranoia & grief moving forward. Don’t forget this experience. Don’t take for granted the opportunities the world has to offer when we can interact with each-other in person. Appreciate the times you are invited to dinner with friends & family. Appreciate the ability to go to a store without worrying about germs being everywhere you go. Appreciate striking up a conversation with a stranger at a bar, park or sporting event about something you may have in common. Be grateful for the world we live in & the opportunities many people have right in front of them.
I’ve always considered myself to be an optimistic person. Especially since October 27th, 2018, when a coward entered my synagogue in Pittsburgh, murdering 11 members of my community. I learned from that moment that optimism in all of life’s situations is essential. October 27th, 2018 was the literal turning point of my life. Living a life of pessimism & fear is not a life worth living. Quarantine & isolation is not fun. That’s a fact. How could I possibly be optimistic? My outlook on this terrible situation is that our world & society has a chance to “reset”. Life has pretty much been put on hold, giving the environment a chance to recover a bit from human interaction and I truly believe that humans are going to begin to appreciate & be grateful for the basics in life after having them taken away. Imagine what the first sporting event is going to be like once this all ends. How great is it going to be to go out with your friends or enjoy a great meal with your entire family? Common interactions are going to feel brand-new.
There is a silver-lining here. We have a chance to gain a new appreciation & outlook on life. Take advantage of it.
- Andrew
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