Post COVID blues
In October 2018 a massive desire for Yoga and how it could benefit my executive and entrepreneur clients came over me. I was lucky to travel to the Indian Himalayas for a stress free month of teachings, detox and massive learnings.
Funny how I never listed my Yoga training on my LinkedIn profile yet and how the pandemic really made me rethink that – its coming though – and a worthy post in the works.
The month in the mountains changed me as a person for the good.
What I wanted to share this month is how my return trips’ learning already is affecting some and will be soon all.
For 30 days I hardly had to make decisions.
The schedule was tight with 5:30am wakeup calls and first Yoga practice at 6am.
Never had to think about what to buy to eat or plan meals – and I ate like a meatless booze-coffee-free yogic king.
I even left my watch at home in South Africa.
The 4 days travel home were bliss – days filled with the best of Indian and Ethiopian meat dishes, beer and coffee.
Then 2 days after setting foot on home soil it hit me.
The training course had set me up to become an amazing Yoga teacher.
But it had not warned and equipped me for the return to normal life when back home.
Suddenly I had to make decisions again.
- I had time schedules.
- I had deadlines.
- Life in the real world was upon me.
Despite the euphoria of a month of ‘heaven’ I suddenly had to retrain myself to life in the now with all the ups and downs.
This is what for some of you already is happening and for others still is about to come.
Life after COVID!
More than 13 months ago we all had very different lives. Most might have hated how the bloody virus came and ripped it away without warning or choice.
Slowly one started adapting.
New ways of doing work, business, family, friends, along the way probably mostly missing human social interaction.
Suddenly maybe even not wanting to see people.
Some even liberated at the opportunities and blessings that it brought about gratefully – time to rethink or just think.
The world and life slowly but surely is settling after the virus.
Although there are many many months still ahead to adapting to this there is also the truth that what has become the new you will again change.
New fears to face people without masks or fully clothed meetings in crowded board rooms and offices.
Commutes wasting time.
Less money with increased costs of living and traveling.
For many of you, Instagram has been your eyes into the lives of your colleagues and friends, even family, over the last year.
You fully aware of how negative that false view is despite having it affect you in some kind of way still.
How do you ensure your own wellbeing once you return to the outside world with things changing again? And again? And again?
For me – revisiting my month in India – and asking what I could have done differently to ensure a smoother transition back to normal-ish life.
I would definitely have made time for the topic.
Not too far ahead probably otherwise it could have created more anxiety vs enjoying the actual experience and being in the moment.
This is a bit different though.
Maybe mindfully time daily in a way that encourages and uplifts you?
Or what advice would you give your best friend knowing their fears about the post blues that might be coming?
Let’s make it a priority to actually the coming ‘blues’ not as a negative worry.
Instead a Blues festival with Southern food, dancing and joyous friends and family!
Let the good times roll!