I knew there was going to be something different about the year 2020 but I couldn’t have predicted what actually happened and the impact it has had on so many peoples lives. Ill-health, loss of loved ones, financial struggle, loss of business, social isolation, increased stress, depression and anxiety. To name but a few! Thankfully there is often a silver lining and the good within all of that, often pain and struggle, is always there. It’s not always obvious of course and sometimes we’re too upset and exhausted to care whether there is good there or not. We can become quite annoyed if someone appears too happy when we’re struggling so much. The truth is they’re probably struggling too but their default mechanism to be happy is how they deal with it.

Somebody said to me the other day, that somebody else had said to them ABOUT ME …

“I don’t like Sam she’s too happy”

I laughed and thought “if only they knew”! I’m not going to write here what I’m like behind the scenes but things are not always as they appear, but the me I give to the world is just as real and sincere as the me I am behind closed doors or when I’m alone. We’re all complex beings and have many aspects of who we are and that’s ok. Having awareness of that is often key to navigating ourselves through the challenging times.

As we prepare for re-entry after (or should I say during) the pandemic some of us may find that we struggle to find our new normal. We’re likely to be anxious and that’s ok! So let’s look at a few ways that we can prepare ourselves but also attitudes we can adopt to help us during this time:

• Take it easy and go slow! Move at your own pace and don’t feel under pressure to move at the same speed as everyone else. Sure, there might be work commitments that have policies & procedures you need to follow, but even then you can explain how you’re feeling. Seek guidance & help if you don’t receive the understanding you need.
• Learn to be understanding yourself ~ not everyone is going to think and feel the same way as you and that’s not necessarily wrong. It’s just different ~ and let’s face it ~ we’re all different! If you would like understanding then GIVE understanding to others.

What goes around comes around ~ be the change you want to see in the world

• It’s okay to not feel ready to meet friends for coffee or to let your guard down completely ~ again, GO SLOW and at your own pace. If you still want to wear a mask then do that until YOU’RE ready to go without.
• Try not to judge others! I know that can be difficult at times when you have strong opinions or beliefs about issues. Such as whether you’re an “anti-vaxxer” or not! People do have the right to choose so being annoyed at people who believe differently to you won’t help! You’re far more likely to influence people with kindness and understanding.
• Respect other people’s decisions. You might feel fine running around “maskless” spreading love and joy across the earth, but others are still apprehensive and anxious, so respect others, and again, be kind.
• Remember that everyone’s experience of the pandemic has been different. Some situations have been exacerbated and magnified 🔎. So, we’re back to kindness and understanding.
• Use your most powerful tool ~ the breath, to anchor and centre yourself when you start to feel stressed and anxious. Don’t underestimate this!! Stop ~ take a deep slow breath in ~ relax the muscles around your face ~ and breathe!! As many times as you need to.
• Remember that you just spent the last year adjusting and adapting your life to working and living in a completely different way, so moving into the new normal really will be a challenge. Your energy levels will be impacted ~ being around others will feel almost scary due to the threat of the pandemic.
• Don’t resist it if you need more support!! It’s ok! I started to see a Spiritual Advisor/Counsellor every week for months during the pandemic and I’m now seeing her fortnightly. If you need extra help right now then reach out and find it!
• Do what you can to make a new life plan as you consider how things have changed. Think about exercise, good sleep hygiene, a well-balanced diet and other activities that will support your resilience.

Resilience – the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

In the end it’s about accepting where YOU’RE at and respecting that others may be at a different place, and that’s OK! It really is!

Be at peace my friends and I’ll see you on the other side,

Love & blessings, Sam 🥰 x