We don’t know how much of our lives are going to go back to normal after the pandemic
The anticipation of easing out of the lockdown might seem like an excellent thing, but many of us feel unsure about it. During the past year, one of my most used words has been “I can not wait for all of this to be over”. Yes, I am excited to get my normal life back but I still feel anxious and paranoid if I am safe out there with other people.
I am anxious whenever I see crowded and busy places. I am not comfortable seeing people who do not follow social distancing rules. I want to be free but I do not want to expose myself to others unless they are in my bubbles. In my mind, even the things that I used to love about my old life seem daunting because I feel that I am in a different world now. But I have to face the reality that this is how we are going to live our lives for now whether I like it or not.
So, I find some ways how I will face and live a new normal life after the lockdown:
ACCEPT WHAT IT IS: uncertainty and change are the things that make me apprehensive. Acceptance is the only way to deal with it and there’s nothing much we can do about it. Sometimes it is hard for me to appreciate changes because they involve loss. But we have to carry on with our lives and enjoy what we have left. I am fantasizing about what life looks like on the other side of the lockdown but we don’t know how much of our lives are going to go back to normal and how much of the world will be changed forever, we just need to be prepared and allow it.
TAKE IT SLOW: On 12 April most of the non-essential shops has re-opened. London became so busy like it used to. Retail shops have long queues outside. I was planning to buy some stuff that I needed but I did not go. Because I don’t want to take the risk and join this mad crowd just to buy some pair of jeans. I don’t want to judge the shoppers because I have no idea what they have been through during the lockdown. We all have our different challenges and just because someone else is doing something doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Lockdown looked uniform from the outside but if you look closer from inside to everyone’s personal life, they would all be different. We just couldn’t see it. As we come out of the lockdown we are going to be able to see the differences. So, take it slowly as you need to. My post-lockdown mantra would be “It’s ok to go slow”.
FIND A BALANCE: I often remind myself to listen to my instinct and be aware of my feelings. If I feel unsafe going somewhere to meet up with friends and to socialize, I would cancel it. Because I don’t want to take the risk. I know that I would be going to have fun with them but I choose my safety over having a fun night. I also protect myself and my friends by not going to busy bars in London. We can all wait to celebrate our freedom from lockdown. However you are feeling with time, patience and understanding, we will all find our way to the other side.
In England, we are easing the lockdown slowly every five weeks. You can check the Roadmap out of lockdown here. The government says that no earlier than 21 June, they hope to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact. Are we ready for this? I want to be optimistic about this one, and I hope to live my normal life back again. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog until the next one.
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