I think we can all agree when I say these last couple of months have been rather unusual. There have been so many uncertainties that surround our day to day life and we’ve all had to adapt one way or another. I have found myself saying over and over again, “I’m just ready for things to go back to normal.” But when I really sit back and think about what my normal was before, I’m not sure I want to go back to that.
While I am a creature of habit and routine, I have to say that this global scenario has made me realize how much I take for granted in my everyday life. Prior to social distancing and self-isolation, my weeks were filled with Groundhog Days. Our family of three had our routine- wake up, go to work/daycare, eat dinner, go to bed and repeat the next day. We rarely went out and did anything during the week outside of our normal routine. Then the weekends arrived and we wanted to soak up our family time and enjoy relaxing at home. Before we knew it, this was our normal; but we loved it. After spending weeks social distancing, I’ve discovered that my previous normal is not the normal I want to go back to. I’ve realized how much I miss having the opportunity to enjoy a Taco Tuesday out or a simple Saturday night grilling with family. I miss strolling the aisles at Target and having playdates with my best friend and her kids. While I had all these opportunities before, I found myself frustrated that I didn’t do them more often. Looking back, I can say that I fully took those opportunities for granted.
Needless to say, these last couple of months have made me reflect on what my normal was and what I want it to be after this is behind us. I’ve learned that while a routine is nice, it’s okay to change it up. I want my new normal to include taking advantage of these simple opportunities that couldn’t present themselves during these unknown times. My hope is that at the end of all this, we no longer take for granted the simple things in life- a coffee date with a friend, family game nights, a visit with grandparents–the list goes on. I hope, that from this unusual scenario, we all rediscover our normal.
