My fear for this time in quarantine is not that we will have too many virtual happy hours or binge watch an excessive number of new shows on Netflix. Instead, I fear that we will boycott these new realities and drift into autopilot.
I am deeply concerned that we will default to withdrawal in our personal and professional lives.
Of all stances to take, this one is the most dangerous because it is accompanied by a subtle numbing of emotional connectedness.
Instead of tending to our inner homes (i.e. our mental and emotional well being), we will neglect them.
We’ll sleep to escape rather than rest. We’ll watch shows not to laugh but to numb. Rather than scroll social as an entry to human interaction, we’ll use it to aid in achieving autopilot.
Why?
Because asking ourselves how we feel and what we’re thinking on a daily basis is a lot of work. Sitting with our responses can feel even more difficult. Such stillness often unearths less-than-pleasant realizations about ourselves and how we handle ambiguity.
This is an easy time for no one. And anyone that tries convincing you otherwise is lying.
Let’s get honest about our own humanity: Quarantine sucks. A lack of routine is difficult. “Stir crazy” is real.
When we are honest about how we feel, we open the door for others to do the same. And as we look at each other – naked in our truths – we realize that vulnerability is the key to our connectedness, even in a time of social distancing.
My heart hurts for the state of society and the world at large. However, I will fight for our togetherness. I believe in silver linings. There is power in words like we, us, and ours. Now more than ever before, we need each other.
Fight for vibrancy among the mundane of life. Rebuke autopilot and self-loathing strategies. Sit fully in your thoughts & feelings – your vulnerability is welcome here.