When the World Opens Again

By Kenzie

With the government deciding to lift the restrictions on 19th July, it is nearly the time when the country reopens again with no limitations. That can be really scary and anxiety inducing - I get it.

Over the past year and a half, I have really missed going to festivals, being in a theatre, having sleepovers with friends, singing my lungs out at gigs and all the other things that we have been forbidden from doing during the coronavirus pandemic. I am so excited to get back to normal soon - I can't wait to get back to normal. However, this doesn't mean that I am not nervous, scared and anxious too. I absolutely am, and I know I'm not the only one. After over a year of not being in big crowds and not travelling on public transport, the thought of being thrust into that sort of situation gives me butterflies, and not the good type of butterflies either. 

It's going to be difficult for us all to adjust to life after the pandemic because it has been over a year since we have experienced life in that way. There are things that could help you to feel more comfortable though, and things that can make you feel less alone in your anxiety about normality. Below are five tips and tricks which I have found comforting to me when thinking about life after lockdown.

• Just because you don't have to doesn't mean you can't
  

When I say this, what I mean is that even if something is no longer a legal requirement, you can still do what it takes to make you feel comfortable. If you still want to wear a mask when you're out and about then that is perfectly okay. If you feel safer when you are 2m away from other people and still want to social distance and refrain from hugs, that is your prerogative. You are well within your rights to make your own decisions regarding your health and wellbeing, mental and physical, even if it isn't the norm anymore.

• Talk about how you're feeling
  

No matter how alone you might feel right now, I promise you that you aren't. I bet there are at least a dozen other people in any given situation who are feeling exactly how you are right now. I am one of them. You can talk to me, and so you can also talk to them. Talk about why you're scared to get back to normal, talk about what is making you most anxious, talk about those butterflies in your tummy. Once you've expressed your fears, allow them the opportunity and the space to open up about their own fears and anxieties. Chances are that you'll share a lot of these fears and feelings and the choice to talk about them with someone else will be welcomed with open arms. 

• Embrace the new normal
  

Everyone is talking about 'getting back to normal.' Hell, I've used that phrase multiple times in this article alone and God knows I use it in conversations with friends and family. The truth is, what used to be our normal is no longer our normal. Our new normal is getting vaccines, using hand sanitiser, working from home - the list goes on. Things likely won't go back to how they used to be but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that so many people have been forced to work from home means that many workplaces are allowing their employees more flexibility and more autonomy to suit their situation outside of work. People are savouring every moment they spend with friends and family and planning their lives days ahead rather than weeks, months, and years. They are taking their time, slowing down, instead of running around and wishing the time away. Embrace this 'new normal' because in my opinion, it's an improvement.

• Go at your own pace 
  

You do not have to do everything at once. You can do things at your own place and gradually feel more comfortable. If you feel okay not wearing a mask but you don't want to hug people yet, then that is fine. You are free to do things one by one, step by step, and make changes as time goes on. It is totally your choice what you want to do now and what you want to do later. No one can make you go any faster or any further than you feel ready and don't compare yourself to where anybody else is. That is of no use to you, and is not healthy for you. Take it slow if that's what you need. 

• Acknowledge your anxiety 
  

It's extra important to remember that feeling anxious or scared or nervous is a completely valid feeling. You don't have to hide it or play it down or ignore it. You are entitled to feel all those feelings and base your decisions on those feelings within reason. Let yourself feel anxious and acknowledge that it is there. Take those feelings and say to yourself 'okay, I feel you, anxiety, you are here to protect me and I thank you' because once you have acknowledged its presence and acknowledged its purpose to protect you, you can move on with your life and with your day whilst your anxiety is in the background.

The important thing to know throughout all of this, all of these feelings, is there is light at the end of the tunnel. We're getting there, slowly but surely, and darling you'll be okay.