Handling “Everything”

I have started to think about what happens when this is “over.” Now that this pandemic has been lingering on and there is no clear date for this to end, I’ve started to think about how an “all clear” will be determined. There will be a new normal after all the dust has settled, but we are nowhere near that now. I like to call this phase “Cultivating Virtual Resilience.” In reality it just means trying to find a way through all of this. Americans have always “seemed” to be able to bounce back after a crisis. The scars are still there though. Now that we are aware of PTSD we can now face that fact that not everyone bounces back. Some people hit the ground and roll, others crash and recover, and some have just crashed. The elephant in the room is that none of what is happening now is “normal.” On top of that, just when we need other people for support we can not physically reach out.

There is trauma, there is pain, and there is fear. See them for what they are. Acknowledge them as part of the reality. It is only then that you can work with them and find your way through so that you can “bounce back.” That phrase also carries a lot of weight for me. In the past it never really felt like a bounce. It is more like a rough landing and a stumble forward until you find your footing and move on. You are changed but you keep moving forward.

True resilience is different from bouncing. Moving the body and taking time to do some reflection on all that is going on can help. How are you adapting to social isolation? What do you really need right now?