
As the world is beginning to open again, are you having any hard feelings about it? We’ve been waiting for the world to open for over a year. To be able to eat out freely, travel without restriction, attend entertainment as well as sports events, and get our children back in school.
Here we are now, standing at the doorway to “getting back to normal.” Although I’m feeling pretty happy about this like many others, I’ve come to learn that there are a good amount of people that are feeling anxious by this “reopening” of the world. After a year of being home, of being protected, of being told what they should and should not do to be safe, it seems the thought of being out among people is quite unsettling for them.
I’ve recently had a conversation with a therapist about this to find out if this is a real thing and she said this has been a common thread in some of her conversations with people. After a year of being diligent with hand washing, face coverings, six feet of distance and fist bumps, I guess it’s understandable how it can be daunting for some to reenter the world. Some wonder if it’s really safe and how they should behave.
I personally welcome the restrictions and limitations being removed, but as someone who has struggled with anxiety, I wanted to bring awareness to what others are experiencing, in hopes that this will help remove some of the stigma and shame that too often accompany anxiety.
If you are feeling anxiety as the restrictions are being lifted, know that there is nothing wrong with you. It’s just how your body and psyche are processing this new stage of emerging from the pandemic. You are not weird for feeling this way and you are by far not alone. We have all been through a hard year together. It’s my hope that we can all emerge from it with a little more compassion and understanding for everyone’s own unique journey.
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