The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on most people’s social lives and created a strange new ‘normal’. The thought of our pre-pandemic world has become a distant memory. Going to a party indoors? Preposterous. A concert? Unimaginable!
While we are all tired and fatigued from the impact the pandemic has had on our social lives, the good news is that this past year has not only taught us how resilient and creative we are, but also that it is possible to feel good with a simplified social life.
Our new normal, caused by COVID
In the year since the pandemic began, people across the world have been forced to adjust to a new way of life, redefining what it looks and feels like to socialize. Happily, the pressure and overall extra-ness of coming up with activities to do with friends and family over Zoom has died down, and our Zoom fatigue has died down with it. These days, we’re enjoying socially distanced walks in the park, small outdoor gatherings, and low-key, quality time spent with the important people in our lives. We are here for it!
‘New normal’ habits we should keep around
Spending more time outdoors
Put simply, pandemic restrictions and mandates eliminated many of our favorite indoor activities as viable ways to socialize. The places that were able to stay open – restaurants and some bars, for example – have been operating at limited capacity.
Because of this, many people have been choosing to safely spend time with friends and family outdoors instead. In fact, an October 2020 study in Norway reported a 291% increase in outdoor recreational activities since the Covid-19 lockdown began.
Besides being a safe way to see one another, spending more time outdoors helps us get more sunshine and vitamin D, encourages us to move more, and lets us connect more with nature. It’s definitely a habit we should keep up as part of our new normal.
Practicing more self-care
In the midst of a global pandemic, caring for ourselves physically and mentally is of utmost importance. Luckily, because we’ve become more mindful, intentional, and selective with how we spend our social lives, we have much more time to devote to caring for ourselves. Looking for some tips to help you create a self-care routine? Put on (or stay in) your comfy clothes and check out these blog posts:
Developing attitudes of gratitude
The pandemic has given us a new perspective on things we may have taken for granted in the past, like relationships. Time spent with friends and family have become much more intentional and meaningful. Because many of us were deprived of it for several months, we have newfound gratitude for simple human connection. As we move forward, we should hold onto this gratitude. After all, having a practice of gratitude has been shown to improve mental health!
There’s no denying that the pandemic turned the world upside down, but the silver linings have been easy to spot among the chaos. We’ve learned the value of slowing down, developed more gratitude for our relationships, and become more content with simpler social lives – our new normal.
Love Everyday Speech! I can access it online from any setting I’m in. The search features make it super easy and convenient to find the best video during one of those unplanned teachable moments.
– Regina I., M.S., CCC-SLP
