Living With Change and Embracing Blessings During the Age of COVID
Written by: Dorothy Watson
The extensive experience and quality of the clinicians at Hispanic Family Counseling will help you cope with life's situations while giving you professional tools to enhance your everyday life. Reach out to us today! (407) 382-9079
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As we continue adapting to life under a pandemic, there’s only one thing that’s truly certain, which is that life is going to be uncertain. Let’s face it: Change is hard! Even the smallest changes to our daily routines throw us off-kilter, and major life changes are even more challenging. Hispanic Family Counseling explains that some of these changes have practical solutions, while there may be others we simply have to accept.
Major Changes You Can’t Avoid: How to Find Peace Through the Uncertainty
Now that we’re going through the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve all been confronted with changes we never saw coming - some big and some small. Perhaps the hardest ones to deal with are major life changes that you weren’t planning for, such as a job change or having to move. One thing that can help with these bigger issues is to realize that the outside world is adapting too, which means there may be solutions you haven’t thought of.
One example is how the real estate market has evolved to meet the needs of people who still need to buy or sell a home. If you’re in a position where moving can’t wait, check out resources that allow you to tour homes online with 3D walkthroughs, video chats, and even virtual open houses. Most states allow in-person home showings too, but you can limit contact by starting your search online. Make no mistake – the market is still hot. In Orlando, for example, in December 2021, homes were selling only 13 days after being listed.
Responding to an unexpected job change is another one of those major life changes that can’t wait. If you’ve lost your job, start by looking into unemployment benefits, and then search for ways you could make money working from home. According to The Atlantic, young people have been especially hard hit by the economic effects of COVID-19, but they predict that many of these young adults will find positive solutions, such as taking a gap year between school as an opportunity to figure out what they want out of life.
Small Changes and Unexpected Blessings
We all expect major life events to be challenging, even if we don’t always know when they’re coming. But it’s important to remember that small changes are hard too, especially when we’re living in a time of such uncertainty. While acknowledging that change is hard (and giving yourself grace), one of the best things we can do is find the unexpected blessings change often brings.
One of these changes may be a new baby. Although birth rates actually resulted in a baby bust instead of a baby boom during the pandemic, you may have a little one on the way or already in their crib. If that’s the case, be sure to ride the self-care wave (another change seen recently) and dress in comfortable clothes.
Increased Self-Sufficiency
Are you wondering what your family will do for haircuts or taking your chances with clippers and a YouTube video for instruction? Or maybe you’ve been stretching out the days between grocery store trips, leaving you without fresh produce at the end of the week? We can’t promise good results from home haircuts, but as the blog Homesteading explains, there’s incredible value in discovering self-sufficiency. Why not start a vegetable garden to grow your own produce? You’ll likely find fulfillment in getting close to nature, and for kids at home, it’s a great educational experience!
The Joy of a New Companion
One way that many families are bonding, while adding more joy to life, is by adopting an animal. Now that everyone has to stay home, this is the perfect opportunity to save a shelter pet, which is a kindness that pays you back in love and affection.
Improved Family Connection
With the hustle and bustle of “real life,” it’s common for families to grow apart as everyone stays concerned with their busy schedules. Even though none of us planned for this break from regular life, it has given us opportunities to reconnect, so simply bring back traditions like family game night.
These are just a few of the ways we can find solutions, and yes, blessings, in times of change and uncertainty. Children missing friends from school? Or hugs from grandma? Use video chat to stay in touch from a distance! The truth is that we can never be sure of what tomorrow holds, but there is always hope in how we respond to the changes tomorrow brings.