In the Silence (of Covid-19)

It’s been around a month now. Most people are settling into a quarantined lifestyle new normal where bottled water and toilet paper are finally returning to supermarket shelves. Where wearing a mask is not some odd fashion statement but also a way of saving lives. The latest Covid-19 news is ever changing, seemingly always leaning towards the worst. The number of people diagnosed with and that have died from this insidious virus seems to be climbing with a peak still ahead. Our governing state and federal powers have written up plans of economic recovery from this extending temporary stay at home time line void of effective relief in sight.  

Is this covid-19 new normal a temporary life reboot? Or will it become a long-term trauma reflex that creates PTSD in ones social conscience reinforcing the need to continue social distancing to ensure “life”? Imagine if you can, what will it be like a year from now? What will working outside of the home be like? What will fun time be like? What will relationships look like? Will you recognize yourself at the end of the social distancing? In what way will your mindset be transformed after the silence is broken and we are all allowed to roam freely? Will human life be forever locked away, afraid to walk amongst the masses? Or will it throw caution to the wind and dive into the arms of estranged friends and family because no one knew what they had until they lost it?  The time to pick an option is now and we owe it to each other in this world to make it healthy one.

In times of great friction it’s necessary that one looks ahead and finds the purpose or meaning of this moment in order to feel capable of dealing with the uncertainty of the now.  Once one understands their purpose (their why) and places it in the center, then every day that leads up to it will feel connected, and at that moment, resilience and self-trust will take over allowing a state of balance to exist.

Finding balance tends to mean being able to sit in the silence and listen. It is often difficult to sit in the silence. In the silence live one’s deepest fears. Often one fills their day with electronic distractions that are loud enough to temporarily drown out ones life long internal screams. Due to the Covid-19 new normal the world is changing in super speed and no longer can heed the call to avoid the silence. This is a time to sit and listen to all the noise that goes on in us. Deciding to take this difficult journey will be the only way to know whether one wants to continue hearing those old records in the new world order or NOT.

It is important to recognize that learning how to turn everything off is a process. There are many tools that exist that can help one learn how to sit in the silence and just allow oneself to be ok in it.  It is also important to recognize that when we hear all the noise that we do it with a focus to learn about ourselves. In time one will be able to understand what is noise that needs to be let go and what is lived wisdom, which is to be held on to next to the heart.

The choice to find personal balance in the midst of a new normal is presenting itself to the world. There will be much imbalance to walk through but staying focused on one’s found purpose (their why) will be the drive one needs to get to the spiritually nourishing finish line.

Below are links to tools that will help one learn how to sit in the silence:

https://classifieds.usatoday.com/blog/marketplace/10-powerful-meditation-tools-and-accessories-for-the-perfect-home-meditation-practice/

https://www.fastcompany.com/3026898/why-you-really-need-to-quiet-your-mind-and-how-to-do-it

https://www.fastcompany.com/3026898/why-you-really-need-to-quiet-your-mind-and-how-to-do-it

 

 

Author
Alejandra Luna LCSW, Mental Health Therapist/LGBTQ+ Specialist

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