The New, “New Normal”: The Anxiety Of Changing After Everything That’s Happened Over The Past Year
Written by Kemi Osamiluyi
Normal, A Very Peculiar Word
Normal. What is normal? Well, according to Merriam Webster, normality is “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”. But is that what normality truly means for our generation? Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like that is what has occurred during this time. We did not conform to the standard, nor were we usual, typical, or expected.
Anxious About The Speed Of Everything
But going back after everything that has happened to us may be a bit scary; no doubt. But do not worry! You’re not alone in these feelings. Here are some ideas to help you “get back in the swing of things”.
Map out some activities that you would love to resume after COVID
Look back at what you knew Pre-COVID and what you know now to see how much you have changed and grown as an individual
Think about something you could do now that a lot of things are moving back in-person
Do something you love! Have fun!
Have pride in yourself, not many could make it through a WorldWide Pandemic, but you did. Your strength has only grown throughout this time.
The Generation To Remember
We survived a global pandemic! How crazy is that?! Not only that, but we have all made so much progress as a community, generation, and world; it’s normal to wonder why everything is happening so quickly. All the things that we should have done years ago, all crammed into a little over a year. It can be overwhelming, and that’s okay!
Taking things for Granted
We’ve seen how we take what would've been basic company for granted. A hug from a family member. A cool, complex handshake with a friend. One thing that we should all learn from this time is that we need to cherish others. We cannot take them for granted again.
Overall
So instead of saying that we’re going back to normal, I propose that we start calling it, taking a hold of our lives and futures. After all, it’s in our hands and we have the power to change it for the better. It’s normal to be afraid of change, but this is good change, great change really! In the meantime, go tell someone that you love them, drink your water, eat a good meal, listen to some music, do things that you love, and Carpe Diem! The Future is in our hands. Our generation has truly been, and will continue to be, one like no other.
@hocomonumental
Want to write articles like these? Navigate to the 'Join Our Team' tab in the menu!
Sources:
https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/how-manage-post-covid-anxiety-0
Images: