Self Isolation
In my last blog post “What’s Real?” I spoke about how we’ve been limiting our social interactions with each other in the way that we communicate and how this social distancing has been happening long before the COVID-19 outbreak. Even when given the opportunity to have an honest conversation with our friends or relatives, we default to the automated light-hearted answers that keep others a safe distance away from our true feeling and emotions. I ended the blog with the question, “can we be real enough with ourselves to be real with each other?” to explore the idea that our social distancing goes much deeper than physically and emotionally isolating from other people, we also emotionally isolate ourselves.
Do we really know ourselves? If not, what has prevented us from taking the time to do so? Before the COVID-19 outbreak a common response would be that we don’t have the time. Our lives are so busy with work and children and our routine that it seems as though we can’t take a moment to ourselves let alone go on a deep self-exploration. But what if I was to tell you that now you have time. How would you use it and what would you do? For many people that is the reality they are facing today. With COVID-19 our daily routine is interrupted, we are working from home or not working at all. Our kids are home from school and have to adjust to an online schedule and for a lot of us we are re-introduced to the almost foreign notion of time.
How have you chosen to fill your time? While there has been a massive dip in the stock market, there has been a spike in the usage of streaming services. We sit and watch entire Netflix series in a day and pick up new hobbies like doing puzzles or drawing. We try new recipes and maybe challenge ourselves to learn a foreign language. We do all of these things, but never do we stop to spend the time to get to know more about ourselves. Who are you? How do you tend to react in stressful situations and why? What brings you joy or makes you uncomfortable? What is your purpose and are you living it? Are you happy or proud of yourself? What’s real? Could you answer these questions? Do you want to?
I am challenging you to take this time of self-isolation and social distancing to grow closer to yourself. I am challenging you to create a better, stronger, purpose and faith driven, joyful, loving, self-caring you.