As creatures of habit, we tend to associate familiarity with comfort because it is easier to deal with what we know (even if it is what we don’t want), and this is why any type of change feels distressing to us. Initially, it was the restrictions that were uneasy, and two years later it’s the opening up of workspaces and going back to school that some people are finding hard to do. We cannot control the environment, but we do have control over our perception.
It would be helpful if we don’t perceive the opening of the borders as going ‘back’ to normal because it cannot be the same as before. We have all evolved and had new experiences. Let’s acknowledge this era as something new; it’s going to school, work, and other activities with the experience of the pandemic and all that came with it. This is different from anything we’ve ever had before. The experiences of going to work and school will continue to be different as we have all adapted to new ways of doing things.
If you are finding it hard to transition again (even if it is towards what you want), be kind to yourself and get that it’s normal. At the same time don’t allow that to stop you from facing your fears and moving forward. The best way to deal with fear is to face it, feel it, and still take action. It is okay for the action to be taken in baby steps. Acknowledge the parameters of your comfort zone, recognize what is under your control and what isn’t, and just take one step further at a time.
To read the full newsletter, click here.