Sometimes, we avoid change like the plague and sometimes, we embrace change as an opportunity to turn our lives upside and discover a new normal. The COVID-19 epidemic has definitely turned our lives upside down and self-isolation is forcing us to see the possibility of a new world.
In recent years, we have been overwhelmed by many issues – increased global warming, increased populations and decreased resources. These issues have started a global conversation about how we can secure the future of our world and understand the solutions. But the solutions to these issues may not be as global as we think.
What if we can start within ourselves and discover how we can re-emerge in our world after self-isolation? What if this is the silver lining to our self-isolation? What if we can work within ourselves when we have so much time on our hands so that we can collectively call for a better way to move forward? Our imaginations are endless, and now is the time to recharge ourselves and discover how we can all move forward, how we can all embrace the changes that are needed now more than ever.
Truly rest your body
When was the last time you rested your body? I mean, truly rested your body? We always say to ourselves we’ll have a quiet weekend, but does it ever end up that way? I’ve noticed in the last couple of weeks during self-isolation that I’m taking this time to rest very seriously. Once the work week comes to an end, I’m ready to take it easy on the weekend or my days off. Are you? You don’t need to be anywhere, you don’t need to rush off with an endless list of errands and you definitely don’t have to get up by a certain hour. Self-isolation is a great time to take things slow, sleep in as much as you need and give your body the chance to recuperate from the week’s work activities. Sleep is vital for our physical health as well as our emotional wellbeing. Not only can sleep lower blood pressure and boost your immune system, it can also relieve stress and improve your memory.
During this time of self-isolation, make sure you keep to a regular sleep schedule by:
- Sticking to regular times as possible when you go to bed and wake up
- Turning off devices about an hour or so before going to bed
- Avoiding caffeine, alcohol and drugs or eating too close to bed time
- Maintaining a regular pre-sleep practice e.g. reading a book before you go to bed or doing a light meditation
If you find you don’t have motivation to stick to regular activities throughout your day, then that’s ok. Accept that your body needs a break from the stress it may currently be experiencing. Never push yourself and give your body permission to go slow.
Travel within and try something new
Now that we have more time on our hands, we may be wondering what to do with it all. The world isn’t being demanding of our time, so why not try something new? Have you wanted to start a new hobby, or learn a second language or try an exercise program? There is a huge amount of businesses out there that are moving their services online. Or, you can find free classes just by typing what you need into your search engine. If you have a stack of unread books on your shelf or a drive full of e-books, give yourself a chance to start reading again. This is the time to develop new knowledge, seek new wisdom and discover new ideas for how to move forward in this new normal. You can also gather new knowledge by discovering new podcasts or music, artists, writers and thought-provokers. Chat to your friends to see if they can recommend any good reads or schools of thought. Now is the perfect time to start something new and gather new knowledge without leaving your house.
Discover what your new normal might look like
During this time of self-isolation, have you thought about what your new normal will look once we can re-enter the world? While you are in isolation, you might want to start thinking about new habits, new goals, or even existing goals then start planning for these. Are you living to the fullest of your being? Do you want to enter into a new realm of self? What will you look like once we can interact with our world? You might want to start a journal and enter your thoughts about how you might want to re-invent yourself and how you can help your world adapt to our new world. Will your new world include more or less travel? Will it include more mindful actions and interactions with others? Will you decide on your limits and what you want to achieve for the benefit of your world? Work inward so that you can identify how can act outward. How do you envisage your new community?
Emerge then travel with a new narrative
The time we emerge back into the world will be the time when we can re-adjust how we travel through our world and how we travel with or among others. A time of self-isolation means a time to reflect and re-arrange how we will interact with our world. We will all be longing for renewed connections, and we will have fuelled a fire within ourselves that will lead us to lead new lives with new adjustments. What will your new narrative look like? How will your new narrative read? How will others interpret your new narrative in order to heal each other and our world?
