Resilience and Change: How to Adapt Without Losing Yourself

Key takeaways

• You Are Resilient. You Are Adaptable

• The Year We Learned to Adapt

• Defining Our New Normal: Part II Getting Back to Being Social

• A Time for Healing and Change

• The Four C’s of Covid-19

• Change…Be in Charge of the Process

You Are Resilient. You Are Adaptable

In the last five months, you’ve discovered a whole new version of yourself that you probably didn’t even know existed. From shifting how you live, work, travel, and connect with others, you’ve already shown just how resilient you are in the face of uncertainties.

So, today, we encourage you to stop for a moment to give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. Under “normal” circumstances, everything you’ve achieved thus far is incredible, throw in a world pandemic, and it’s safe to say that you deserve a medal for your ability to adapt and reposition yourself with each new curve ball life throws your way.

The Year We Learned to Adapt

With the 2020 holidays in our rearview mirror, now is the time to look back on the changes we endured – possibly for the better. Perhaps the typical big family celebrations giving way to simpler moments taught us something. The year we learned to adapt just might be the start of something new and hopeful.

What We Had Holiday traditions have been passed down over generations, and our emotional attachment to them is what has made them special. We associate Thanksgiving with fond memories that include gatherings with family and a delicious feast with turkey and pumpkin pie. The idea of Christmas or Hanukkah conjures the scent of spiced potpourri and baked goods, the sound of carols and laughter or the lighting of the menorah, and warm evenings by the fire with loved ones.

Defining Our New Normal: Part II Getting Back to Being Social

More businesses are beginning to reopen their doors, which means the “normal” activities you once enjoyed doing; going to the gym, dinning at a restaurant, or getting a haircut are starting to fill back into your weekly calendar.

After months of negative news circulating in the media, receiving an eblast or social media post that your favorite local hangout is back up and running post COVID-19 shutdown feels surreal for many of us. It’s a type of joy we all want to hold onto but maybe we still feel a bit hesitant to accept it completely. Thoughts of “what if businesses have to close again?” “what if I get sick going outside?”, or “what if I unknowingly get someone else sick?” can consume us or make us think twice about venturing out and getting social again.

A Time for Healing and Change

Many of us keep hearing the phrase “New Normal,” to describe what might lie ahead as we slowly transition back to “living”, following the peak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The word normal has always been a difficult term to pin down. And it can often create negative stereotypes or agitation between groups of people, especially if what you perceive to be normal is different from a friend or neighbor.

With the events that have taken place over the past few weeks, we realized that the “New Normal” that everyone has been referring to is much larger than returning to a post COVID-19 way of living our lives. We needed to take a step back and consider what we perceive to be “normal,” and acknowledge that this experience is going to be different for other generations, races, and genders. When we reflect with an open mind like this, we often come to the realization that our perception of normal can blind us from recognizing how certain behaviors, or unconscious biases, are holding us back from growth and peace.

The Four C’s of Covid-19

The Covid-19 virus has impacted every inch of our daily lives and those of our family, friends and community. We are having to adjust to meeting basic needs; shopping for supplies, staying connected, educating our children, working in a different way or having partners and children home, 24/7 togetherness!

All of this change can and fear of the unknown, create strong emotions in adults and our children. When we are anxious, our ability to function as we normally would can be difficult. Our natural fight or flight emotions kick in. Check what defensive behaviors kick into gear for you. That Drill Sergeant persona might be handy in a military maneuver but will probably not be useful with your family. Taking that first deep breath, stretching or simply sitting still for a few seconds will allow your brain to function. There are many excellent resources on phones, computers and iPads.

Change…Be in Charge of the Process

If you are reading this, chances are either you or someone you know is involved in . This means that change is somewhere on your radar. Change can be a scary thing. We are indeed creatures of habit, where the inevitable act of doing something different and embracing change can make us feel nervous.

Alongside the inevitable act of change are the ritualistic questions: what is the change, how will you make this change, what will happen upon making this change, and how do you make it an everlasting act. The short answer is that change is a process that YOU are in charge of.

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.