5 lessons we should learn during the current crisis

By Kim Mays-Robinson, LMSW

For over a year, our lives have been entangled with many crises: a pandemic, a struggling economy, and a slew of racial tensions – just to name a few.

Much of our resilience has been overtaken and replaced with traces of fear and anxiety, depression, and uncertainty.

There is no doubt that the world has changed. Even though we’d like to forget everything we’ve had to endure and start over, we can’t. Our best step forward is to focus on what we can glean from it all.

Here are 5 lessons we should learn during the current crisis.

• Self care is vital to our quality of life. 

Self care is a set of intentional actions that enhance our overall mental and physical health.  We’ve been experiencing anxious times, leaving us with a sense of urgency. The initial isolation of Covid-19 alone has invoked feelings of being behind, making us hurried to get this, do that, and be more.

Give yourself permission to be and just breathe. Don’t feel the need to compare your life with others. Go at your own pace. Do things that will relax you and give you peace so you can cope with the pressures of life.

• We can not change people.  

Everyone grows and matures at their own pace. We can’t change the people around us and trying to do so only takes their power and willingness to be better for themselves. Give people time and space to evolve and simply love them – even if that means from a distance.

• Judgements are for closed minds. 

Oftentimes, we pass judgement as an automatic response to something we don’t understand.

Everytime we pass judgement on someone, we miss the opportunity to learn something new. We are all different people with varying backgrounds. Our main goal is to be and feel accepted for who we are.

• Life is too short. 

As kids, we cringed at the thought of waiting for the weekend. We adults know that time is one thing that waits on no one.

We’ve learned how important family is and how quickly they can be taken away from us. This past year, we had constant reminders of just how short life is. Death is so final. Mend those important relationships and make time for those you love.

• You must be true to yourself.

We live in a world of trends and everyone wanting to tell you how to live your life. It’s okay to listen to the opinions of others but it takes real courage to be true to yourself. Fear of criticism is the main reason we put off living authentically.

We all have unique gifts to share with the world.  Do what you love. Be you unapologetically. The ones who criticize you are the ones doing way less than you.

What has this dilemma taught you?