New Year, New You: Recovering from COVID in Lancaster, PA By: Marcus Lewis
Written By: Primary Therapist, Marcus Lewis: Licensed Professional Counselor, National Board Certified Counselor & Fully Trained EMDR Therapist in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
I heard a funny quote about the year 2020 that sums it up nicely. “2020 was like looking both ways before crossing the street then getting hit by an airplane.” I think we can all agree that 2020 was a year of unpredictable and involuntary change. It pushed us in ways no one saw coming. The idea of change may have felt scary and confusing, considering we were being forced to make adjustments on top of adjustments. It’s not easy to just change in any capacity. In fact, it can be the scariest and most painful thing to do, especially when you have limited information. However, if the change feels like crap, that means you are doing something right or getting closer to your ‘new normal.’ We have an inner desire to be different daily, even with no plan. However, to create a new normal, you can lay out a plan on how to achieve it. You can be your own 2021 trailblazer. I think the best question to start with is how can I make my 2022 self proud?
Coping is a hands-on approach to making changes to your everyday life. We inherently know that by looking at where we are today. Success is a part of our story. To move forward with change means it’s good to look at past successes from which we still benefit. These are the strategies we trust and use daily to ensure our basic sense of functioning. For some it may be a workout routine, or it may be an expressive art or communicating with that one reliable friend. Having that sense of creating a predictable routine plants seeds of confidence. These are the strategies we can use and build upon.
One thing I’ve heard most of my clients say is how they’ve noticed how their environment affects them. The lockdowns of COVID-19 led many to noticing their environment. This could be as simple as the clutter next to their bed, the electronics that controlled their attention or the numerous things that lost meaning. Taking advantage of being present in the moment and making mental notes of the good and bad that surround you in your immediate environment can jumpstart your sense of change. Being intentional about those moments of noticing can go a long way. It gives you the opportunity to look and address what needs to be changed. When you make those small changes, you feel the small successes.
Since you know change is going to happen, how are you willing to push yourself? When we think of striving towards anything, it starts with an interest or desire. Learning a new art, taking a class, developing a habit to connect with new people, etc. One thing you'll always have is yourself from yesterday. In other words, you can be better than yesterday. In the world of social media, comparison can lead to a fall in a bottomless pit with our sanity being stripped away. However, starting a new day gives you a fresh opportunity to be better than you were yesterday. You can decide on one small change to make that will improve your present. The person in the mirror can be your greatest ally even if they held you back yesterday. So, what are you willing to allow yourself to experience in seeking your new normal?
