By Kate Miller
WOW! We’re completely living a new normal and it’s disorienting, confusing, worrying, and even irritating.
There is so much news to filter through – some informative, some contradictory, and some just straight up garbage. Sometimes it’s hard to know who or what to believe. We may find ourselves in a state of constant information overload, not knowing what to feel or think, yet still need to “act normal”.
You know, the normal life that we all lived before we ran the risk of falling ill to a deadly virus. You know… The normal life we all lived that didn’t require facial coverage or a specified distance between each other. Normal. And yet, here we are, quite abnormal and certainly interrupted with no endpoint or comfortable conclusion to this chapter in world history.
Let’s review our new normal with a small sample of “2020 norms”:
- Prior to March 2020, it was the norm to send kids to school and now we homeschool them. I can only imagine your home, but as I share a peek into my world – “new math” has been replaced with “old math”;
- Pre-March, it was a luxury for people to work from home; it’s now the new norm. Many companies may consider reviewing their policies about teleworking post COVID. As the economy slowly opens up, the discussion around changes to how and where we work is one to closely monitor;
- Post-March, going to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the doctor, or any other location now requires a mask and 6-feet between people;
- Pre-March, the definition of essential worker had many of us perplexed and worried about family, friends, and colleagues who are on the front lines – putting themselves at risk or dealing with potentially unfriendly people.
Our new normal is emotionally tough, especially if you’re an outgoing, extroverted person who loves getting out there. You know what – even if you don’t enjoy going out all the time, but are the occasional get-out-and-take-advantage-of-all-that-DC-has-to-offer kind of person, you likely find the new norm to be somewhat suffocating.
No matter what your out-on-the-town persona used to be or where you are in the process of navigating the new norm of COVID-19 – Please Do Not Struggle Alone. There are plenty of qualified people who are ready to help you think through your daily activities providing encouragement, strength through ideas, connectivity through tailored conversation, and support as you figure out the next days, weeks, and months.
There are ads, referrals, google searches, and other methods of finding qualified mental health practitioners and support. I’m one of several certified coaches in the SW and greater Capitol Hill area who are helping those on the front lines of COVID-19, and am ready to help you too. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemillerlifecoach/)
I’ll have an update in the coming weeks about a website that can connect you with certified coaches who are helping people navigate COVID-19. If you are ready to speak to someone now, please reach out to me, and I’ll put you in contact with a coach.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to someone for help. Sometimes, all we need is someone to HEAR us and remind us that LIFE is good!