Nervous about going out into the world again?
A lot of people have been asking the same question lately: How can I cope with my re-entry anxiety? Folks are worried about how to stay safe while socializing; how to discuss their comfort level with loved ones or manage pressure from others to do something they’re not yet ready to do; how to deal with other people they encounter when they’re out and about. Some are concerned that their lives will become too busy or frantic again. Many say their worry doesn’t even have a specific focus—it’s become a global anxiety.
For more than a year, we’ve followed certain routines—working and socializing from home, wearing masks and keeping our distance from others if we do go out—and we’ve become familiar with them. But now the world is changing again. On Thursday, the CDC advised that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks or socially distance, except in certain settings. And while it feels like great news, for many of us it’s also unsettling because we’re not sure what will happen.
We need some new strategies to help us cope with our anxiety about getting back out in the world. Our brain is designed to keep us safe, so we must be very careful with this transition back into the new normal.
Start by deciding what you feel comfortable doing. Therapist recommend that we ask ourselves some question, such as: Am I OK dining outdoors but not indoors at a restaurant? Want to socialize only with people who have been vaccinated? “If I wasn’t concerned about what other people think, what would I be doing?
Next, describe your boundaries to your loved ones. Express your opinion, “This is what I feel comfortable doing.” Explain that this is not about who is right and who is wrong about safety measures. It’s simply a matter of your personal choice. We also need to adjust our response to any push back from others. Don’t give in to peer pressure, but we shouldn’t pressure others, either.
“Everyone is entitled to handle the pandemic any way they want,” Everyone should decide if they want to be in connection with other during this time.
Once your brain has calmed down, he recommends “embracing the uncertainty.” “Instead of freaking out and thinking: ‘oh no!’ try to think ‘oh, this is different,’” he says. Be curious about what your next new-normal will be like. “Curiosity feels better than anxiety,” he says.
Many people are worried about returning to a frantic, pre-Covid pace of life. If you want to make sure you continue the activities that have become important to you over the past year—daily walks, regular family meals, a new hobby—you need to plan deliberately.
Start by deciding what pastimes you want to hang onto. Then be specific about how you’ll fit them into your life going forward. You can do this with specific plans , says experts, ” Most people make vague plans: “I’m going to ride my bike more.” But research shows that when people make “if-then” plans—“If the weather is good at 9 a.m. on Saturday, I’ll take a bike ride”—they’re more likely to stick with them.
This material is a result of research on the internet about the subject, I felt that if I want to know this things, other people would like to know as well. Be safe, be brave, and be happy.
