The Return of Normal

After a year of uncertainty, it seems as though normal is beginning to return. People are, understandably, eager to get back to how life used to be before Covid-19. Gigs, sporting events, festivals, nights out, days in, and everything in between are all high on the agenda. And you can understand why. Every has spent well over a year cooped up and worried. They want to let off steam and remember what life was like before a pandemic made its way around the world.

However, others are beginning to feel the strain of life returning to how it used to be. And let's admit it; our old way of life wasn't always brilliant. There were constant pressures to belong or be seen. Saying “No” to commitments was often viewed as being in poor taste. For many people the old way of life was as stressful as the new way has been for others. Being locked down has allowed them the time to breathe and be themselves, some for the first time in their lives.

Others, myself included, plan to continue wearing masks in crowded places. Why? I've had the best winter ever. No colds, no sniffles, no coughs. I've not been in bed and suffering over Christmas. For the first time in many, many years I've been able to enjoy the beauty of winter without having to live with a cold. And why have we allowed ourselves to pass our germs onto one another? Isn't that a little disrespectful? Hopefully we'll now have a new way of looking at how we treat our health.

Admitting that I'm one of those people who has enjoyed the solitude is painful. As stressful as some aspects of the past year have been, not being bombarded with invitations for numerous events, parties, and gatherings has been a breath of fresh air. Like many, I feel obliged to accept some, if not all, of those invitations in order to keep the peace or to maintain friendships. Over the past twelve months, and with nothing happening, I've seen those people blissfully wander off into the sunset. And I've breathed a little easier in the knowledge that there has been nothing to commit to. Whether that changes in the coming months remains to be seen.

We also need to consider those who've lost loved ones to Covid, are living with the long term effects post-Covid, or who've worked on the frontline. They're going to need time to process what's happened and heal from it. We're yet to discover all of Covid's long term effects and giving space to those who are finding out that things are taking longer to heal or not healing at all.

Going back to how we used to be is not going to be easy. Some people are looking forward to it and are counting down the days and weeks. Others are dreading it and we need to be easy on them. Not everyone is going to be ready to step back into a crowded space. Not everyone is going to be ready to go to the pub, or get on a plane, or go to a packed stadium. Give them space. Allow them to breathe. Don't pressure them for declining an invitation. They're not doing it to spite you. They're doing it because it allows them to feel safer, or because they've discovered that they prefer the new normal.

Not everyone wants to be involved in a busy and stressful world. Nor do they want to be jumping from one task to another. Some people don't want to live their lives at speed. They want to take it slow and enjoy those moments. We've all lived through an event which will be spoken of for centuries to come. Go easy on one another, okay? We're going to need it.

Rachael is the author of several books, including You Are Not Broken: Tips and Tricks for Looking After Your Mental Health. You can see all of her work at www.roswellpublishing.co.uk