I started my December 2020 blog with, “At last, 2020 has come to an end.” The world was ready to kiss 2020 goodbye and everyone was excited for a new year, a vaccine and an end to Covid-19. I said that we would reminisce and talk about it for years to come, but that isn’t what ended up happening in 2021. Unfortunately, 2021 brought more uncertainty, frustration and two new variants; Delta and Omicron.
Despite this, schools and workplaces began to open, people started to venture out on vacation and attend entertainment venues. The vaccine became a contentious political issue with some insisting that they had a right to make decisions regarding their health regardless of the information provided by healthcare experts.
Despite the slow and steady progress everyone is ready to return to our normal lives. However, Covid has brought big changes to our lives, abruptly and without warning.
These adjustments brought a range of feelings and experiences. Many did not know how to navigate multiple issues while sheltered at home. Some thought to themselves, ‘how do I work from home, provide schooling for my children and be a good spouse or partner?’ The stress of being unable to go out and take time apart from family for one’s daily routine was one of the biggest challenges for many. The opening and closing of schools, added frustrations to an already stressful situation. It became impossible to have a regular routine which made daily life challenging for some families.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Our world remains uncertain. Hopefully this year we can think about who, what and how we want to live our lives.
- Make decisions based on the present and what is in your control. Do not try to plan for variables that do not exist or are unknown.
- Limit how much time spent reading, listening or discussing the pandemic. Try to find lighter topics to focus on that are fun and bring you joy.
- Be gentle with yourself and others regarding handling the pandemic. If someone cancels plans or a trip with you, try to be understanding and see it from their point of view.
- If you are attending a gathering and guests are not vaccinated, feel free to ask those that are attending to get a Covid test. If you get push-back, decide if you prefer to stay home or schedule an activity that feels safe and poses less risk.
I know many people who have restructured and redesigned their lives in the past two years and have embraced new ways to live in a post-Covid world.
We want to live our lives with purpose and meaning whatever life brings.
Have a safe and prosperous New Year!
Kay Gimmestad, LCSW-C is a business coach and clinician in New York City with 20 years of experience working in the profit and not for profit sectors of Human Resources, Health and Human Services. She has built a reputation for being highly skilled in facilitating behavior change while working with employees, both individually and in groups, on matters relating to performance management, substance abuse, crisis intervention, and stress/wellness.
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