Let’s face it. The pandemic sucks. It has dramatically impacted our mental, emotional, and spiritual health and has disrupted our lives in too many ways to count. If that wasn’t enough, the virus has killed many, many wonderful human beings who were doing their best in lyf, just like us, before they passed away too soon.
However, with a slight shift in our perspective, we have another opportunity to observe these unique times and how we can live more authentically through them. This pandemic has brought us significant opportunities to uncover and nurture what is truly important in our lives and what brings us joy and peace of mind:
Real, genuine, authentic connections—with ourselves and with others.
Numerous studies have shown that connection and belonging are hard-wired fundamental human needs and desires. As humans, we crave connection, yet we have been on a path of disconnecting way before March of 2020. Although technology has been instrumental in connecting our world, it has also been driving us apart. Our interactions have transitioned from nourishing, in-person energy exchanges of intimacy and understanding to endless scrolls, likes, and a promoted misconception of the “ideal lives” that we want others to think we have. As a result, we as a society have been distancing ourselves from the love, respect, and understanding of real relationships. Instead, companies will spend trillions of dollars on technology that provides us a false hope that the quantity of likes, followers, groups, and messages will replace the quality of a handful of meaningful partnerships that last forever.
Though real, intimate connection has been slowly dissolving, the pandemic has taken away many of our distractions, which has afforded us the opportunity to replace quantity with quality—by being authentic with ourselves and with each other. These unique times have given society a chance to finally share what’s really going on internally, whether that be, “I’m frustrated! I’m stressed! I’m anxious! I’m not happy! I’m scared!” With this newfound awareness and courage, the pandemic has also provided the opportunity to take a step back and discover that much of our frustration, stress, and anxiety has been triggered by the relationships that are closest to us. In this discovery, we have a choice: to avoid this reality as the associated feelings and relationships get worse or choose to face it and realize those same relationships are our biggest opportunity to grow personally and professionally. When we choose the latter, we can say, “I’m not as distracted with busy stuff as I was before, so now I can focus on repairing and evolving the relationships that are most important to me and are what ultimately brings me true peace and joy.”
When we choose to evolve our relationships to become more tight knit and emphasize the importance of trust more than ever before, we can enjoy the safety, security, joy, and fulfilment that we all crave. These fundamental rights as a human being always come through our sense of belonging with others.
Beyond the extremely unfortunate health related challenges, the pandemic doesn’t have to suck! Armed with a new perspective of what this time is doing FOR us, we can choose to show up as who we are—the good, the bad and the ugly. When we show up authentically and give others the space to do the same, we experience what living authentically in our relationships is all about—the ever elusive feeling of happiness, peace, and joy in our lives.
With that, only one simple question remains on how to live Authentically during a Pandemic, “Where do I have to go to experience truly genuine connections like these?” Our bet is that it’s not too far away.
Lyf Is Short. BE Authentic.