I often share the mantras: Feel what you feel; it’s okay to not be okay.
We’re in a moment of societal celebration. We’ve been vaccinated! The CDC says vaccinated people can be inside unmasked with no physical distance (almost anywhere!).
You might wonder: Why am I not more excited? Is it weird that I’m still anxious about going out?
This is an important place to pause.
For 14 months, we’ve lived in a fear-bubble that our breath might harm others; physical closeness was bad; and under no circumstances should we hug.
Not only has this impacted our mental and emotional states, but it’s embedded in our nervous systems.
So, it’s natural if you still feel anxiety. It’s okay: be real, feel what you feel.
This said, we (vaccinated people) are no longer a serious danger to others and others aren’t a danger to us. We have much to unlearn and relearn.
It’s a chance to be intentional: What matters most? Where do I want to dip my toes first? And it’s a chance to move through fear barriers that were once vital but no longer serve us.
For me (for now), this means: I’m not going to big concerts or gatherings, flocking to restaurants, or taking off my mask at Woodman's, but I’ll have people at my house, share food, give hugs, touch someone when they share difficult news, and lean in (rather than away) when it’s most important.
I want to re-integrate yet I’m also aware of the trauma to my (to everyone’s!) system. As I teach in my mindfulness classes, it’s not helpful (or skillful) to dive into the hardest places in our lives, but it’s heartening and helpful to dip into the less difficult places.
One small step at a time. This is how we grow and change. This is how we re-emerge from the pandemic.
