7 Tips for Pandemic Patience
Last night I came across an article about pandemic fatigue. People are tired of the pandemic. They don’t want to stay home. They are craving interaction with others. They want to be entertained. They want to get back to their “usual” life. People are bored.
I know it’s been a long road – 7 months of this pandemic. At first most were taking it seriously and changing their behavior. Over time people have gotten more complacent. I’m a cautious person and I see that as a gift.
My daughter and I are still operating with the same caution that we started with 7 months ago. While it has been a long road, I really don’t feel the same boredom or impatience that others seem to feel.
I’m enjoying settling into the fall and winter with this nesting, going inward mentality. I thought some of my behaviors may help you and your family weather this lengthy pandemic. This is such a unique time and I really believe that Mother Earth is guiding us to slow down, go inward and re-prioritize the things that really matter in our lives. When you reaffirm your commitment to taking care of yourself and others, you’ll lead with renewed purpose and patience.
Be Patient – Never in our lifetime have we had the whole world pause. I see this as an opportunity. Embrace it. Enjoy the quiet. The stillness. The time. This is a powerful time to really go inward and to get to know ourselves, our homes, our families. Take this opportunity to strengthen yourselves and your priorities. We need this strength to move forward.
Smallen Your Life – I’ve coined this phrase, smallen, to mean slowing down and living within a smaller expanse to help heal the Earth. Prior to the pandemic we were living so largely in ways that were unsustainable. Now with this pause, we need to stay close to home, shop locally, take time to grow and cook our own food – we’re not even eating out. Smallen by deepening the connections with ourselves, our immediate family members and take care of the natural environment closest to us.
Get to Know Yourself – Boredom is a good thing. When we’re bored we really start using our imagination and thinking up creative ideas. When we’re bored we try to get unbored by doing something we love. We use our curiosity. We create. We make new things happen. If you’re bored, try to create instead of consume. We shut down boredom with coping mechanisms like food, drugs, alcohol and media. Instead of using these consuming tactics to numb our boredom, try to create instead. Write, draw, paint, sing, dance, play. These are joyous things that can move you from boredom to exhilaration.
Prioritize Your Health – Love yourself each and every day through your thoughts, self care and action. Give lovingly to yourself and make sure you’re advocating for yourself on all levels. Take quiet time to connect with your own knowing and make sure your actions support self care. When in public, do your part to protect your body from getting sick by wearing a mask, social distancing and washing your hands for at least 20 seconds each and every time. Eat good food, exercise and get plenty of rest.
Connect with Nature – This is an ideal time to strengthen your connection with nature. It can be as simple as walking barefoot on the grass (earthing) or sitting on the ground and noticing what’s around you. Use all your senses to listen, see, smell, feel and touch the natural world around you. Whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours – time spent in nature is renewing and refreshing and can make us feel more connected.
Social Connections – While our social interactions probably look different now than they did in February, there are a lot of ways you can socialize safely. Make sure to take the time to call a friend weekly, do a Zoom with friends or family, or write letters to loved ones. I’m amazed at how much better I feel after talking with a friend on the phone, receiving a thoughtful text or even Zooming in a group. When you do gather in person, make sure to be socially distanced outside and wear your mask. We need to know we’re here for each other, so get creative and socialize safely!
Prioritize the Vulnerable – We often get wrapped up in our ego and think only of ourselves. Remember why we’re taking these precautions – to protect those more vulnerable than ourselves. It’s not all about us. It’s about the people in this world who suffer because they do not have adequate health care, they are elderly, and/or they have pre-existing conditions. Let’s take care of these vulnerable populations like they are our own children.