A State of Reaction

Our routines have been simplified, and it’s made our lives more complicated.  Our lives are different in this post-pandemic reality.  Though life seems to be returning to normal (whatever that means), it still feels like we’re in limbo.

For so long, we’ve been stuck in a state of reaction.  We wait for news and instruction, then decide how to tiptoe through our lives.  We’re scared, and rightfully so.  When we aren’t worrying about the health of ourselves and our loved ones, we’re doing our best to maintain a life we enjoy.  We make plans with the looming expectation of the carpet being pulled out from under us at any moment.  It’s a reality we try to push to the backs of our brains as we smile through our daily tasks.

When we’re planning for an uncertain future and maintaining that simplified lifestyle, it’s hard to fully enjoy the leisurely things we once did.  How important can the fictional novel I’m reading be when there are real, serious issues going on in the world?  We’ve ignored the simple pleasures of life and shifted our focus to necessity.  That creates a life that feels like one big rut.

We can take steps to shift from a state of reaction back to a state of action, and we can do this while maintaining empathy, safety, and concern.  What can you do this week to take action, engage the other side of your brain, and move forward?  Get outside, light a candle, cook a meal, tap into your creative side, cultivate an idea.  We need to stay in touch with reality, but the little things matter too.