“New normal” gets thrown around a lot these days, almost so much that we lose sight of what that can actually mean for us. Everyone’s trying to tell you what the “new normal” will be, and that we’ll have to adjust. Of course there are going to be new constraints that are out of our hands, but that doesn’t mean we should let that dictate everything in our lives. Heck, now more than ever we should want to take ownership of the things we can control. Are you going to let it be a passive new normal, or an active new normal? There are going to be plenty of things we can’t control, but don’t let your lack of input on those things seep into the things you can control. Passivity has a huge impact on your mental, physical and spiritual health. It probably has already played a big part in your life even before all of this upheaval, and you didn’t even notice it.
The people who are going to come out of this on top of their health are the ones who take an active role in creating their own new normal. What did you learn about yourself during this time? Was there something you thought you couldn’t live without that now seems replaceable? What things were you forced to change that actually worked out better now that you changed them? I’ve heard from plenty of people that found out that they can cook pretty easily and don’t need to stop for fast food or go out to eat 5 nights a week. Were there things you “never have time for” that you’ve been able to make time for? Can you prioritize those things and keep them up going forward? Maybe you get out and bike or hike more. Maybe you’re able to play more with your kids. Maybe your neglected hobby can be picked back up again with some intention. What parts of life didn’t you like before that you can change now? You’ve got a good excuse to start to change some of those habits and environments. It’s like going to college or starting a new job. It’s a clean slate, a new page, a fresh start and you’re in charge.
People can focus on all of the negative things that have happened, but I see it as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. Sometimes, when we’re really challenged to take a look at our lives, we can see through the junk we tell ourselves to what really matters in our lives.
It all comes down to what you want the “new normal” to be: do you want your new normal, or do you want somebody else’s idea of what your new normal should be?
