Will things ever be the same again
So the road map for ending lockdown has been revealed and for many it represents the light at the end of the tunnel that they have been yearning for. However will life ever really be the same again for any of us having experienced a pandemic. It’s a difficult prediction to make with any degree of accuracy.
We simply don’t know if the appreciation we have for our renewed freedom will be a long term shift or whether we will take it for granted over the course of time.
Mental health impact
I’ve noticed that people have had many shifts in perspective over the past year and I’d like to share one of them with you now. Many individuals have commented to me that they have been surprised as to just how unsettling the pandemic has been for them. Indeed I’ve observed many people suffering with their mental health that have never suffered before at any stage of their life.
Choosing your response
There is a key principle that underpins cognitive behavioural therapy, arguably the most popular mode of mental health treatment in the western world. This principle has never been more relevant as it is today. The principle is as follows. You can’t control what happens to you in life but you can choose your response to the situation. Put another way, it’s not the event itself that causes your emotional and behavioural response but rather it’s your interpretation of the event and the meaning you assign to it.
The importance of training your mind
We have all responded to the pandemic in our unique way based on our beliefs and life experiences. Many people that I’ve spoken to certainly did not feel that they had different responses available to them and found themselves feeling locked into a way of thinking that had a negative impact on their mental health.
The fact of the matter is that many of us don’t automatically have the mental flexibility to choose our response in difficult situations. And that’s where mental fitness comes in. By regularly examining your thoughts and emotions and following specific exercises you are better able to develop this skill.
Just like any skill it takes time and practice to build. However by investing just a few minutes a day to work on your mental fitness you can become more prepared for whatever unexpected challenges life throws your way and be better able to choose how you respond to them.
