By Penchant Media Staff
The world is collectively exhausted. The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll, leaving us emotionally drained. Across the globe, people have responded to the staggering Covid-19 deaths with emotions ranging from grief, despair, sadness and anger. We ask ourselves why this happened, why so many people died, and why we survived. We are not sure if we should feel grateful, guilty or numb. Even as we sort out the range of emotions, we grapple with feelings brought on from witnessing crime, job losses, uncertainty about the future, natural disasters and climate change.
Prioritizing self-care
Life is unpredictable. More than ever, that reality is resonating in ways that it never did before. There has been a shift in our psyches as we prioritize self-care, slow down, enjoy family, friends, nature, faith, quiet time and rest. While some people have taken time to prioritize health and exercise with varying degrees of success, others felt drawn to study the Bible, carefully searching for clues to make sense of global events. Individuals have reconnected with childhood friends or revisited quaint spots that made their hearts sing. Life has changed and for many of us, there will be no going back!
Lifestyle changes
One of the key drivers in this dramatic lifestyle change is the fact that thousands of employees lost their jobs when restaurants, amusement parks, entertainment venues and malls closed, and work places shifted to a remote setting during the pandemic. Although online shopping is hugely popular, the desire to buy new things waned because of the uncertainty in the air. It has been difficult to predict how the pandemic will affect each family. What do most people do when life becomes unclear? We look inward, examine our lives, and question our path, We assess our journey and seek answers.
Shifting perspective
In looking inward, an interesting phenomenon has emerged, leading a tangible shift in perspective. The quiet time which has become abundant during remote work makes it easier for us all to reflect. With reflection has come a sense of recognition that we need to make significant changes in our lifestyles. This has prompted families to relocate, downsize or upgrade living spaces, get married or end relationships that have become stagnant or toxic.
Gratitude creates abundance
Through it all, one thing has shone through: feelings of gratitude. We are grateful for the extra time spent with loved ones. We savor the long hugs, regular embraces, conversations, quality time and special events. We appreciate the opportunity to worship remotely, thankful that technological advances make it possible. We enjoy seeing more of each other, eating meals together or simply relishing our loved ones being in the home for longer periods of time. We laugh more. We feel grateful that we are alive, healthy and able to enjoy the simple things in life. We embrace a new perspective that allows us to realize that despite the turmoil in the world, we have a lot, and for that we should express gratitude unreservedly and often. Gratitude becomes more routine to our daily existence and as we see the world differently, we feel inspired to give thanks. Being grateful, generates more abundance and we feel comfortable, satisfied and peaceful.-
PM
