It’s fair to assume that many of us took the things we had for granted before the pandemic. It’s not that we didn’t care or appreciate the things in our lives, it’s just that we wrongly assumed that those things would always be there. We never thought that at some point we wouldn’t be able to see our close friends and family for weeks on end or go for a coffee in our local cafe or go to the library to take out another book. We never could have prepared for this. So, in a way, it’s understandable that we took for granted the wonderful things that we had prior to the crisis.
But that shouldn’t stop now.
In fact, we should be thinking even more about what we have right now, and trying to find the light in a really dark place. There’s still a reason to have hope. There’s still a reason to keep holding on. And there’s still a reason to be grateful.
We will embrace things in a whole new way.
Instead of shutting ourselves away, we’ll take more risks. We’ll start doing things that we didn’t make time for before. We’ll do things that scare us, excite us, and motivate us. During this awful time, most of us have just wanted to hug our loved ones and show them how much we care. So when we are finally able to do so, it will be something that we’ll never take for granted again. We’ll enjoy every single second that we get with them. And we’ll be thankful for all of the memories we make.
I’ve seen huge changes in myself during the last few weeks. I’m usually a glass half empty person but now I’m starting to appreciate the little things more. I do have days where I don’t feel much hope, or I worry about there being no end to this, but then the following day I might find that I feel lighter and happier about where things are heading.
I know for certain that I can’t go back to how I was before; always talking things for granted. Nothing was ever enough, I’d always be wanting more. I’m starting to realise now that I couldn’t have gone on like that. I was ruining any chance of happiness I could get. So if there’s something positive to take from the pandemic it’s that my eyes have been well and truly opened.
We’ll say yes to more invitations.
I’ve turned down quite a few invitations and the chance to do something out of my comfort zone simply because I assumed that I could always do it another time. And I think that’s a problem that many of us have. We always think there’s some other time but that’s not always the case. So while saying no to things that make you uncomfortable or fearful is important for your mental health, it’s equally important to say yes more.
It brings us closer.
This is something that we’ve all experienced together, so hopefully, it makes us understand and sympathise with one another a whole lot more. Even when it feels like you’re alone and no one could possibly understand how you feel, it’s important to remember that many people feel the same way you do.
If you need help because you’re struggling and you’re in a dark place, then please reach out to someone you can trust. There’s still reason to be hopeful, even when people tell you differently.
