What Does Strength Look Like in a Pandemic?
What do you think of when you think of strength? Perhaps Superman? Maybe the Hulk? Maybe me? When you think of strength, do you think of a bodybuilder who can lift heavy weights? Does your mind visualize marathon runners who can easily run for miles? Do mainly athletes come to mind?
Strength has many meanings. It's typically thought of as physical strength, which is a narrow way of looking at it. Strength is much more than being able to push barbells or running a marathon, it's much more than that.
Strength is also mental. It is the ability to constantly focus and muster up the determination to get done what needs to be done. With the pandemic, many people have had to change how they work. For many, including myself, home became the new workspace. It's been a challenge to balance my focus with my home responsibilities and work responsibilities while occupying the same space. I literally can't turn off my parenting brain while trying to work. As focused as I am on my own work, I'm still listening and looking to see that my kids are on task with their distance learning. Also, while working at home, it's easy to fall into the trap of working on my work responsibilities outside of my work hours. I know it's necessary to do sometimes, but I try not to do it at all cost. Being able to manage both home and work responsibilities takes mental strength.
Having mental strength is also being able to look out for one's mental health, especially during this pandemic. On top of the biological threat of COVID-19, there is financial stress, and the boredom of having less options to do what we were able to do before the pandemic. It may be easy to give in to cynicism, but it takes real mental strength to endure the mental strain that the pandemic brings to us.
Strength is also emotional. It's being able to manage your emotions to get through each day. Being able to cope with all the emotions that come with living in this pandemic is a real sign of strength. There is anxiety from the possibility of being exposed. There is loneliness that comes from being physically isolated from family and friends. There is grief from losing loved ones whether it was from COVID-19 or some other cause. There is also the hopelessness of feeling like this is never going to end. It's easy to go down the dark path of despair. It takes strength to keep yourself from heading in that direction. Strength requires the ability to manage these feelings when they come, hold onto hope, and keep yourself going no matter what.
Strength is getting up every day and do what you need to do, no matter how you're feeling. It's leading and supporting your family through the unknown until we get back to "normal." Strength is keeping hope alive, especially in the face of cynicism.
Remind yourself that this pandemic will not last forever, even though it may feel like it. There are more and more people being vaccinated each day. People have been adapting to connecting to loved ones using technology or creative social distancing methods (like drive-thru parties). We're not strong just for us, but also for our families, friends, and our community.
Strength isn't singular; it is simultaneously physical, mental, and emotional. It's a balancing act we have to do every day. All of us, especially you, have what it takes to be strong.
Roderick Conwi writes about personal and professional development at Nourishment Notes. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights to enhance your day, join his FREE newsletter.
