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How are you doing after three years of uncertainty? No, I’m not talking about your lead-up to choosing a major or the questionable relationship you just can’t seem to quit… I’m talking about our collective uncertainty. I’m talking about the strange time warp that began in December 2019 when we all learned what coronavirus was and how much havoc it could wreak upon our lives.
To live through it felt like the very thing Charles Dickens was referring to when he talked of “the worst of times,” “the age of foolishness,” “the season of darkness,” and “the winter of despair.” In other words, things totally sucked for what felt like a very long time.
Post-Pandemonium Reflections
These days, Covid-19 has largely lost its shine in the news cycle. But deep down, we all know that’s mostly because we’re ignoring it and, quite possibly, suppressing the aftershocks. Not to mention, the media have since prescribed newer, more pressing things to worry about like the climate crisis and geopolitical instability, while yet another cumbersome battle for the White House plays out in the background.
After spending so much time working solo from the confines of my New York apartment, my own pent-up ball of entrepreneurial energy was eager to unravel back into the normal flow of pre-pandemic life. But I’m a big fan of taking regular time-outs for reflection. So, as I sit here with fading memories of what it was really like, I have a hunch that I’m not the only one who feels like there’s a lot of sticky stuff there that’s still left to unpack.
How Are We Doing?
Emotionally retraversing that gritty, pothole-prone pavement feels uncomfortable, but it’s necessary. Living through a pandemic means witnessing the strength and fragility of our world on a daily, even hourly, basis. An event like this has a lasting impact on your life, and to be honest, I feel like we’re not having that conversation quite enough.
A 2022 survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that nearly two-thirds of respondents said their lives have been permanently changed by the pandemic. The World Health Organization has reported a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. It’s abundantly clear that living in sustained survival mode has significant consequences when it comes to mental health.
How Do We Move Forward?
Recognizing the physical and mental repercussions of the pandemic is important. Giving one another the space to talk about them can be truly healing. Remembering where the world, and our respective governments, fell short during this crisis is a valuable directive to carry with you to the voting booth.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Processing our personal experiences of living through a pandemic can be a painful thing, but it helps to remember that pain and the occasional bout of chaos are part of the human experience. Focusing only on the negative can make the world feel like a scary place.
We know now, better than ever, that our world is imperfect, but it’s not altogether a place to fear. I’ve found that accepting that sort of tills the soil and clears the path for other things to bloom. As Eckhart Tolle says, “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.” So as a CEO, a podcast production company owner and podcast producer, I’m often called to hear other people when they speak. So I’ve made an effort to really listen to others.
Accentuate the Positive
There was a flip side to the past three years. A 2022 study from my home country of Australia reported some effects of the pandemic that were actually positive. These included more family time and better flexibility at work, and many people expressed an overall feeling of living calmer lives. When you think about it, those things all go hand in hand.
As an entrepreneur, my takeaway is that people thrive on flexibility, and the more agency people have over how they spend their time is healthier for everyone. My company is fully remote, so even pre-pandemic, it was entirely normal to see a cat butt blocking the camera, a home office-sized game of fetch taking place, or a toddler busting through the door to show off a new drawing during a meeting. Those were actually the best moments of the meetings!
Who remembers that viral 2017 video of Professor Robert Kelly’s two kids jovially crashing his live BBC interview? It’s no surprise that viewers from around the world insisted on a follow-up to meet said wife and those adorably rambunctious children. Not only was it ratings gold, but it pulled back the curtain and reminded us that we’re all more than our professional titles and achievements. We’re also humans with families and home offices and we sometimes forget to lock our doors.
Working Out The Resilience Muscle
In just four short (OK, no they were long) years, we have pushed through a global pandemic, the Great Resignation, conflict in Ukraine, inflation, and now a global economic crisis. For any leader, that’s a lifetime of learning packed into the timespan of an undergraduate degree. We all need to give ourselves a lot more grace and kindness.
Times like these call for patience, courage, and empathy in the wake of such change. They also require more confidence in our own ability to weather storms and trust that seeds will be planted and, eventually, things will bloom again. These moments are compelling reminders to set reasonable boundaries so that we’re spending more than just “enough” time doing the things that bring us joy with the people we love. Because as always, we know there is another side to upheaval, and something good will be there to greet us at the other end.
