21 Mar Social Distancing Without Social Disconnect

We are living in unprecedented times. It seems the whole world is laser-focused on combating or avoiding a common foe. This COVID-19 thing has definitely got our attention. Since I have your attention right now, I would love to inspire you with a sense of hopefulness and enthusiasm and direction. Why? Because these are all things that rarely coexist with anxiety and fear.

As a professional counselor and a neurofeedback specialist, I am committed to calling out my clients’ ingenuity, creativity and amazing human potential. I am keenly aware that unleashing my clients’ positive qualities leaves no room for panic, and worry.

It is in this spirit, for my own personal wellness, that I have been intentionally treating this unexpected downtime as my opportunity to catch up on organizing, writing, and learning. In doing so, it occured to me that although it may feel as though the world population has come to a screeching halt, it really hasn’t. We are all just engaging in a giant shift of focus.

For instance today I decided to organize my photo library on my iPhone. This led me to share some especially fun pics via text and email with friends, family and colleagues. All people who make me laugh and think. People who enhance my life. People who sometimes get only what’s left of a busy day, week or month. Not today though. Today, they got my first hours.

Yesterday I had time to listen to Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams. To my delight, Adams has his own bent toward positivity and ingenuity. His verbal processing left me eager to see what the “great mind melt” of our time will throw at this tenacious virus. I especially enjoyed Adam’s method of wondering aloud.

Make yourself a cup of coffee and check him out here if you like: https://twitter.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1240639499954049024

Talking about this podcast led to some very stimulating conversations. It was a catalyst for connecting with the people in my life and surveying my own thoughts. Who would have predicted that a healthy dose of social distancing would actually result in deeper, more intimate and meaningful social connections for all of us.

We are being asked to practice social distancing, but that doesn’t have to mean that our only other option is social disconnect. Together let’s turn this into a major opportunity to connect mentally and emotionally. Let’s embrace all the challenges of technology and learn new skills and foster new solutions. As a therapist I am a big fan of replacement behaviors because they are the stuff of personal growth and human development.