Already half of bizar and drastic year has passed. It’s strange to realise that 7 months have passed, while I still feel like we’re living in February of 2020. However, it is quite normal that we have lost our sense of time. For almost 8 billion people time stood still, and we still haven’t fully gotten our normal lives back. Being forced to stand still has had a huge influence on many of us: we shifted to conscious living.
2020 is cancelled
In the beginning of Corona I often came across quotes like “2020 is cancelled”. At first I could definitely relate to this: all our holidays and festivals were cancelled. Planned a wedding? You’ll have to wait another few months to tie the knot. Moreover, it was almost impossible to say goodbye to loved ones and we weren’t even allowed to visit the sick and elderly. Knowing this, it isn’t strange that a lot of people felt like 2020 was cancelled.
A new way of living
As the weeks passed by and I got used to the new situation, I noticed I started to look differently to our “new way of life”. More people felt this, because I came across the following text:
“What if 2020 isn’t cancelled? What if 2020 is the year we’ve been waiting for? A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw – that it forces us to grow. A year that screams so loud, finally awakening us from our ignorant slumber. A year we finally accept the need for change. Declare change. Work for change. Become the change. A year we finally band together, instead of pushing each other further apart. 2020 isn’t cancelled, but rather the most important year of them all.”
The above text made me think. At first the world seemed to stand still, but now I see that it’s a time in which we learn a lot about ourselves. Of course it can be hard, and feelings powerlessness, despair and uncertainty are well represented. But, 2020 has also brought us something good: it made us see what and who really matters.
Conscious living
There is a chance that this pandemic has made you conscious of your unconscious automatic behaviours and thoughts. We are more conscious to ourselves, our environment and our time. Maybe now you see that you can totally reschedule your agenda. Or maybe you realise that you could’ve spent more time with your family and friends. Now that everything seems to become a bit more normal, maybe you ask yourself: do I want to go back to ‘normal’, or would I rather live by a different standard? Maybe you want to live more conscious: focus on the here and now. Maybe these tips will help you with that:
1. Make a plan
Consciously blok time in your agenda to do something you enjoy with the people who are important to you. In addition, it’s also important to plan time for yourself and to relax. What gives you energy? What have you always wanted to do, but have been putting off because of your busy schedule?
2. Take a moment
Moments of reflection are incredibly important when it comes to conscious living. Try to take a moment each day (10 minutes is enough!) to think about your thoughts, how you feel and what’s happening around you. Really try to force yourself to focus on the here and now. Because that’s truly all that we have!
3. Set boundaries
Set your boundaries and try to stick to them. It’s totally okay to let people know you need a little bit more time, and it’s also totally okay to say no! Saying no is being respectful to your own boundaries. You can also say no and come up with an alternative, like: “No, I can’t do that today, but I will be able to help you tomorrow!”.
Conscious living isn’t easy, but you can make it easier for yourself with the NiceDay app! For example, schedule some reminders (in the am and pm) that remind you of focussing on the here and now. It will motivate you to take some time to reflect. Easily download the app for free in the App store or Google Play store.
