lifestyle
Re-adjusting in the Covid Era
Time for gratitude and expectations
OPINION
You may know someone who learned a new skill during lockdown, got in the best shape of their lives or even achieved that life-long goal they have always worked towards. While others may have been less fortunate with the year that has been 2020; many people lost jobs, loved ones and even their livelihood.
The good news is that 2020 is behind you, and with a new year comes another refresh on your expectations moving into another milestone.
by Adam Tafau I 4 January 2021
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The previous article by fellow networker Jan enlightened us by letting us know that everything we have gone through has prepared us for what we have faced, and will continue to face throughout life – in the article The Unseen Benefit of Tough Times and I totally agree with this. Let me equip you with a few helpful tricks to try and help you get through the year that was 2020, and prepare yourself for what 2021 may bring.
A few skills I have learned from reading various books such as:
* Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins
* Own the day, own your life – Aubrey Marcus and
* Daring Greatly – Brene Brown;
allowed me apply a different mindset during the Covid-19 pandemic, and what we faced during our lockdowns. The key skills I learned were to understand my stressors, and how I cope with these.
One of my stressors was a lack of control, and Covid definitely messed with the control over my daily routine. The way I managed this stress was with exercise, and to make sure I stayed in a positive mindset and didn’t piss off my partner was to make sure I was exerting enough energy into keeping my physical and mental health in check. If exercise is your therapy but you struggled to incorporate it into your life during lockdown, try to find ways you can now get little bouts of exercise back into your life.
The next key tool for me was being grateful and practicing gratitude – which has been something I have practiced for a while now. For me, its about stripping back whatever issues/concerns I am having with the smallest thing, and checking myself by asking “is this a big deal, or a first world problem?” I was lucky enough to keep a job during lockdown, have a roof over my head, and pay the bills – many people didn’t. When I got upset over Zoom fatigue, or small things that got on my nerves I would remember to be grateful for what I have.
The last thing I want to mention is creating expectations, and making these realistic for you. Someone may have bought a house, or learned how to play the guitar during lockdown, and you may have struggled to just get through the experience – that is okay. I know so many people who struggled with lockdown, including myself, and keeping my sanity was a realistic expectation for me. When creating new year’s resolutions, don’t shy away from making them realistic and for you, no one else.
As we start a new year, unsure of what will pan out, I encourage you to consider the above, and incorporate the skills/tools into your routine for 2021: Identify your stressors/how to manage/cope, practice gratitude and create your own expectations. Hopefully this will allow you to have a new approach and mindset for what is ahead of us.