In the early weeks of staying home due to Covid-19, my microwave broke. I panicked. My first thought was literally, “How will I eat? I’m going to starve!”
I realized very quickly that I was over-reacting and started problem solving instead, but it made me wonder why my mind would even go there.
Many of us have found ourselves on forced staycations due to Covid-19. They were good for us in many ways, allowing us to rest and remember what feels meaningful in our lives. They also had some interesting side effects.
One of these is that small problems that might have only rated a 1 or 2 on our internal Richter Scales before have more impact now. We may:
- Feel more hurt when someone doesn’t reach out to us
- Get more upset when something goes wrong
- Experience more general anxiety or see the world as dangerous
- Feel more alone
- Be intimidated by the idea of going out into the world again
- Be more protective and attached to what we have
As our worlds get smaller our comfort zones shrink as well. And, without big world problems to think about our minds shift their worry to the small stuff, giving little things a new level of importance.
This leaves us trapped in our smaller worlds with the same or higher levels of stress. When you add in the natural anxiety a global pandemic can bring, it makes sense that we might be a little more reactive.
If this feels familiar, be gentle with yourself and remember that what you are feeling is normal for the circumstances you are living.
Spending some time with the following questions can also support you in getting perspective about your small world challenges. (As usual, journaling about them is highly recommended.)
-On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minor and 10 being life threatening, how serious is the issue I’m experiencing now?
-Do I feel more fear, sadness, or anger than it warrants?
-Will it matter a week, month, or year from now?
-How can I be gentle with myself as I experience this?
-What do I know for sure?
-How do I want to proceed?
These are unusual times and Covid-19 is teaching us a lot about ourselves. It is also giving us an opportunity to heal our triggers, become stronger and let our hearts guide us.
Be on alert for over-reactions, but don’t judge them. Don’t judge yourself, either. Simply ask the questions above and gently shift to a more peaceful way of responding. You will be glad you did.
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