In the last week, my dance card has filled up. Morning coffee, lunches, happy hours, and dinners. It seems like every day has something on the calendar.
As the world opens up to us, we may crave it. Crave whatever “it” is that we’ve been missing most.
Maybe it’s that feeling of connection with others. Or the habits and coping mechanisms we had before COVID.
After ~16 months of isolation, the pull of interaction is addictive. And like any addiction, it’s worth stepping back and making sure it’s good for us.
The draw of our “it”
While we may be rushing to get back to whatever our pre-covid normal looked like, it’s worth a pause to make sure whatever “it” is we are craving is what will serve us best. Because what we had before may not be what we need now.
For over a year now, we’ve developed new coping mechanisms. Habits. Hobbies. Means to get through our days and nights.
This time has not been easy for many of us. Some of us have been completely isolated, or suffering from anxiety or depression. We may need the mental and emotional benefit of interpersonal connection.
Still others, however, may have previously been overwhelmed by the constant noise of life and the “always on” culture we’re living in. Isolation may have offered time with less distraction. Less noise.
Personally, I’m not looking forward to being constantly “on” again.
Missing the quiet
Tonight, I went out for a walk. For months now, I’ve been making sure I walk at least once or twice a day. Getting in those 10K steps. Looking for ways to habit stack while I try to avoid burnout.
While this sounds good, tonight I had a realization. I miss the quiet.
I’ve been walking with my best friend most evenings. She moved in with us almost a year ago due to the craziness of covid.
Usually, we take the dogs with us. Even when she’s not there, offering a positive social interaction, I’m listening to podcasts to create new mental connections and learnings.
Always adding. Finding ways to multi-task through my daily routine to get more out of the minutes I have.
But tonight, I just wanted a walk. Dinner was relatively late. It was hot and humid out, but I wanted to walk off the meal. Flip flops on my feet, I stood up and walked out alone. Just a bit of time to myself, ahead of an evening class I signed up for.
Even when I’m relaxing, there’s a schedule.
But as soon as I got outside, I started to notice. The deer standing so still to my left, hoping I didn’t see her and would just walk by. As I’m sure I had, so many nights before.
What really stood out were the flashes of light. Here and there, to my left and right…lightning bugs. I’m not sure the last time I saw them. I really can’t remember, which is maybe why I had such delight. It was like my own personal fireworks, celebrating my evening stroll.
Remembering to be mindful
The world is filled with noise. Distraction. We live in a “look at me” culture, surrounded by selfies, photos of our meals, insta-lives, and reels. Spotlights and highlights.
But where is the living?
Tonight I remembered to slow down. To look around. For the first time in a hot minute.
Things aren’t even back to “normal” yet, as I’m still working from home and limiting most of my outside adventures. Yet it was clear that I’ve already been caught back up in filling my days and nights. Endless distractions and commitments.
What happened to the lessons of the last year? Of the clarity and mindfulness gained during the great pause?
If we aren’t careful, and mindful, the great pause will become a blip. A lost opportunity as our learnings become memories. Ones we let pass us by.
Before jumping into the opportunities reopening provide us, it’s worth taking a moment to consider what we want to carry forward into this next phase. What worked we want to keep, and what doesn’t that we can avoid. So we don’t automatically jump back into overcommitment and overwhelm.
Our new normal is only new if we don’t carry the old with us. I, for one, will be taking some time to figure out how to do less to experience more.
