For almost everyone, 2020 has been a dumpster fire, and 2021 hasn’t been any better. There’s no getting around it: things are a little bleak right now.
Stop being so pessimistic! Quarantine has yielded a plethora of positive outcomes! Look at all the new hobbies and courses you’ve taken up.
Broadly, these are the two kinds of people around the new normal era. And while there’s no real time alternative than lockdown to break the chain of this extremely infectious virus, we all might as well start holding on to whatever little light is left. What the Dalgona coffee and the other baking skills instilled, all those positivity went almost onto denial in the second wave. The bright side du jour during the initial days of the pandemic was all about being grateful to nature and taking advantage of the sudden break from our humdrum life. But soon before we could realise, we started feeling empty. The truth became grimmer this second wave and despite all the positivity, life had to calibrate into the new normal.
Median spoke to several business personnel and working-class people in Kolkata. Almost everyone is worried about the economic blow they faced. Stress and helplessness is similar for the urban as well as the rural mass. The pathetic job market and degrading business diegesis is contributing to the depression and anxiety in everyone. What affects the earning member of the family sips into the rest of the family as well.
However, it’s only humane to cope up to the challenges and rise victorious. Finding something that is rejuvenating in the time of corona is a personal choice but listening to music, watching thrillers and horror movies, trying new recipes are some of the top choices. It might not always feel relevant to find a ‘silver lining’ to every situation, but with constant exposure to news and social media platforms, almost every adult today knows looking for a ‘brighter side’ of all things is the first step to fight negativity. But does that mean you need to cut off your negative emotions? Certainly not. Denying feelings can trigger significant physiological responses and inevitably make one feel worse than it actually is. The Instagram and Twitter celebrities are not the parameter for the pinnacle of life. So, while confined into our limited space, understand that there is no value in force feeding positivity.
Instead think of the times that helped you grow and smile. Almost everyone from the various strata of life wish to go on a family vacation and resume their normal life. Yes, there is a lot we can take advantage of in the pandemic situation. However, the first step is in accepting the new normal. It is not just you who is here. The fear of loss of livelihood and the nonchalance from the administrative bodies needs to be addressed; and addressed now. Marking every decision with a political affiliation created a major blunder and the country is paying hard. The first phase lockdown in 2020 should have been the biggest lesson but a repetition proves the failure of the authorities.
It will take some time to get back to what we hope as normal. Till then, sticking to our loved ones, investing in getting better at life skills or engaging in creative activities seem to the only way out to maintain our sanity.
