Rethink. Reset. Restore: Seeing the gifts in COVID-19

When I learned about Ambiverts I felt like I finally found a label that fit my personality. Ambiverts, given the setting and situation, can either be the life of the party or on the other end of the spectrum, incredibly reclusive. That said, I am loving having this time of seclusion because it’s the first time in years I’m getting some real ‘me’ time. Case in point: my diary entry from yesterday opened with "This lockdown is LIFE!" There are so many gifts that this time of global isolation has given us. But because many of us can be resistant to change or possibly so consumed with fear, we haven’t had a chance to acknowledge these gifts.

I am finding that this is a time to rethink how we’ve been living up until this point, reset any areas that we have been wanting real change, which will lead to restoring some of the things that have been lost in the busyness of normal life.

RETHINK

When is the last time you had time to sit and really think clearly about your life, your dreams and your purpose? We have been given an amazing opportunity to rethink how we’ve been living our lives; a chance to really evaluate whether you are living in alignment with your core values. If you haven’t taken the time to determine what your family or personal values are, now is great time to do so! Check out this free core values template to assist you with finding or reaffirming yours.

Your thought life matters more than usual during a time of crisis because it helps you stay grounded and logical when your emotions threaten to overwhelm you. Journaling is a good way to express your inner world in a safe place. Writing is therapeutic and helps to process the difficult and confusing emotions you may be feeling during this unprecedented time in your life. It also serves as a good memory keeper that you can go back and review to remember how you made it through a difficult time when the world felt like it was burning down around you.

If you’ve been feeling uncertain and scared during this time, this may be the perfect time to confront fear. This fear isn’t isolated, as all fear comes from a place of not feeling safe or protected. It just means this fear that’s been living inside you, is rearing its ugly head because its being agitated by the current circumstances. There are a few things you can do to combat the fear: Instead of worrying over every news release, limit the time you spend consuming media and tap into your safe place. You know that place you used to go as a kid that made you feel warm and fuzzy and totally protected? You still have that place inside of you. Most people have lost their connection with their inner child throughout their adult years, but this is a wonderful opportunity to explore it again. Try asking yourself, what would be inner child do at a time like this? Would they be absorbing every drop of media negativity? Or would they be playing, exploring and expressing themselves through creativity? You can also surrender the fear in prayer and ask for the fear to be replaced with peace and trust.

Are you having a hard time sitting and being with your thoughts and feelings? If you are, take it as a sign that it's time to slow down and reconnect with yourself. Many of us have become accustomed to tuning out our thoughts and living life on auto-pilot. Now that your busy schedule has freed up, why not get to know yourself again. Take five minutes each day and sit in stillness. Observe your thoughts - the speed, the topics and how they make you feel. The more you do this, the more natural it will become. Soon, you may find you are listening to yourself often, which will allow you to guide your life from a place of mindfulness instead of being reactionary.

If someone were to ask you today what your purpose in life is, would you have an answer? Some people would know right away, while others would struggle to respond. If you fall into the latter category, that's okay! Now is the time to explore yourself and to truly find your purpose in life. Maybe your career no longer aligns with your values or maybe your time commitments are keeping you from finding your true joy. With a freed-up schedule, try to explore what your life's purpose may be by trying out new things. Taking an online course, writing a book or reconnecting with friends and family may spark something in you that you've been suppressing for a long time. And when all the isolation is over, the most important work will begin.

RESET

If a broken bone heals incorrectly it can cause a person chronic pain and long-term problems. In cases like these, doctors will often cut the bone - or ‘re-break’ it as we often say- and reset the bone to give it the best chance of healing properly.

If we were to apply this analogy to our lives, it could be said that unhealed trauma in our lives or things that we have been ignoring, if left unattended can continue to cause us long term emotional and mental distress. Our entire way of being has been 'broken' right now, but that may just be the thing we need to be able to truly reset. It may be harder to now ignore the things that we have been sweeping under the rug for years, sometimes decades, that surface whenever we sit still long enough to feel it. The problem is we rarely have the time to sit and be with our pain. We hide behind the busyness of life because it’s the perfect excuse to just keep going. Using the mindfulness tips mentioned above, you can start to acknowledge the pain that you’ve been avoiding, so that it doesn’t continue to fester beneath the surface.

Use this time as a chance to break habits that you know aren’t serving you and create new ones that you have been meaning to. After you've done the mindful work above, it's time to put your newly discovered thoughts and revelations into action. For example, you may have realized that you argue with your husband when you are feeling tired and overwhelmed. Instead of continuing this habit, stop it in its tracks. Instead, take a 15-minute time out in your room to rest and breathe. You may find that 15 minutes is all you need to reset and look at the situation with fresh eyes.

What are some habits you know need breaking and which ones need forming in their place?

RESTORE

It’s amazing to read news stories of how the Earth is taking advantage of this hiatus from humans’ constant hustle and bustle and is literally HEALING itself. Oceans are becoming cleaner, wildlife is returning to areas they haven't been in for years and the air quality in many countries has improved. We, as humans, are a part of wider nature and this can be the perfect time for healing ourselves as well. Take a cue from nature and begin to clear your mind of pollution and chaos.

Health: Now that you have more time on your hands, feed your body the food it needs and deserves. Take time to experiment and test which foods make you feel good and which foods may make you feel tired, sluggish or lifeless. Equally, exercise usually takes a backseat during busy times. Now that things are moving at a slower pace, begin to make exercise a priority again by committing to 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 days a week. Even our Government here in the Cayman Islands is prioritizing exercise with a 90 minute allowance per day. Remember to start out with small goals and build on them.

Relationships: This is also a great time to reconnect with people who you have been meaning to reach out to but just haven’t had the time or haven't made it a priority. Let friends and family know that you are thinking about them through emails, texts and video chats. This is especially important for people that may find themselves quarantined alone. You may not realize it, but loneliness is often stress-inducing for people, so creating a sense of community is even more important during these times of crises. It's important to note that not everyone who you connect with will make you feel good - so make sure you are monitoring yourself and spend less time with those who might be quoting CNN a little too much.

So, while others may be afraid that the whole world is collapsing around them, you can choose to use this time as a way of seeing the positive in the situation. Focusing on rethinking, resetting and restoring your mind, body and spirit will give you the ability to view life through a new lens when life resumes as normal. In fact, if you take the time to do some soul work, you may emerge with a completely new 'normal' that you like much more.