Your pandemic silver lining
[If you’d rather have me read this to you, click here!]
The year is 1988. I’m in 8th grade, it’s a rainy Sunday evening, and I’m laying on the floor of my bedroom, completely engrossed in the book I’m reading.
My mom calls me down for dinner. “OK!” I yelled back, but think to myself that I just HAVE to finish this chapter first.
When I finally show up in the kitchen, my mother looks at me knowingly and asks what I’ve been up to. “Reading,” I tell her.
To which she says: “You really need to get out and make more friends. Otherwise, you’ll just end up sad and alone.”
This wasn’t the first or the last time that I got this piece of advice.
I had friends and I had fun. And as I’ve shared before, I ALSO enjoyed and needed time to myself.
Yet I can remember many a Friday night in my 20s when I’d feel an underlying sense of dread about NOT going out after work, and wanting to order Indian food and watch a movie instead. I’d feel like there was something wrong with me. Like I was a total weirdo.
Fast forward to the present...
I recently had a conversation with someone about the quarantine.
We talked about how we couldn’t wait until it was over. About what we’re excited to do and what will be different on the other side.
We also reflected on what we’ll MISS about this time in our lives.
Suddenly, it hit me. I remembered feeling positively GLEEFUL during the first few days of quarantine when we “needed” to remain at home.
I realized that even though many years had passed since the days when I’d feel bad about staying in, a piece of this shame had always stayed with me.
I had unconsciously adopted as MY truth, the idea that “alone time is bad.”
Wow.
However, this insight is actually one of my silver linings of this pandemic.
Now that I’m aware of this belief, I can shift it. I’m free to choose a NEW truth instead—a truth that’s aligned with who I REALLY am and upon which I can grow.
Now it’s your turn...
What are some of the GIFTS that you’ve gotten from the last 8 months?
Once life opens up again, what will you actually MISS about quarantine?
How can you take ADVANTAGE of these benefits now, and use them to create a future that’s more true to YOU?
Sit with these questions. I’ll be back next week with a way to really implement them into your life so that you can get YOUR pandemic silver lining, too.