How to create your new normal
Welp, it’s <almost> the end of summer and I don’t know about you, but with the persistent bombardment of “agh” inducing news, I find myself consistently needing to be reminded of the things that make me feel “normal.”
As you’ll notice the video above was recorded in mid-March, which was about a week into New York City’s stay at home orders and I feel like this thought exercise still rings true for me - because fun times, with the abundance of nonsense happening in the world, it’s easy to get a little tied up in our mind from time to time and forget what “normal” feels like.
So how do we create our new normal?
First I think it’s helpful for us to define what “normal” even means. For me, this is completely individual - my normal may (and probably will) look different from yours, and that’s what makes being human so cool, we are all different and require different things. But deep down, “normal” means the things that make you feel like YOU, and me feel like ME. It’s the simple habits or practices that remind you of the joy of being you - you know, like the smell of coffee from your favorite shop, or a breath of literal fresh air.
Action: List it out.
What used to make your day pre-pandemic, back when commuting and working in office was still a thing?
What practices or habits did you used to use to help you decompress and give you peace of mind? Did you used to attend yoga classes? Did you used to enjoy happy hours with coworkers? Did you used to walk 30 blocks to exercise & get fresh air?
Were there things you always wanted to try but never <quite> had “enough” time for?
Action: Audit.
How are your basic needs? Are you getting enough food/water? Are you rested? Do you feel safe?
What IS working for you? Do you feel like you’ve finally managed to create some work/life boundaries despite working in your bedroom? Do you feel like since we can’t really go places you’ve found some delicious space in your schedule? Have you enjoyed being able to spend more time with your partner rather than rushing from one thing to the next?
What ISN’T working for you right now? Do you still feel overwhelmed with Zoom calls? Do you feel like a bucket of yuck after reading the news (or like, 2 hours of news)? Is Instagram making you feel like everyone is living a way better quarantine life than you??
Action: Edit & prioritize.
Ditch what isn’t working for you.
Keep what IS filling your cup right now.
Try adding in what used to work for you pre-pandemic.
Prioritize what’s important - and no, unfortunately, not everything can be important. Try prioritizing 1-2 things per day and see how it goes.
Feel it out and see what works, I know for me, I did a one hour yoga class (something I used to do <somewhat> regularly pre-pandemic) and was WIPED out for at least 24 hours– so I know to take it down a notch (or two - slow flow yoga & 15 min stretch breaks yes pls!). I’ve noticed HUGE shifts in my energy and emotions on a day to day basis and that’s okay. What worked for you Monday may not serve you well Tuesday. Adjust accordingly and cut yourself some slack. These are unprecedented times that no one has experienced, it may take some getting used to before we feel completely and fully “normal” again.