Who Do You Want to Be During the Covid-19 Pandemic?

How can you be the best version of yourself during this time of unprecedented disruption?

Think Queerly Podcast, Episode 122 Show Notes

We are all trying to do and be our best, respect physical distancing, staying at home, and keeping ourselves and those we love safe from infection. But what happens when we read too much news, or get caught up in the herd mentality of feeling panicked that we need to go buy 10 kilos of flour or 90 rolls of toilet paper?

We are experiencing a worldwide disruption and we don’t know what to do.

In these moments of uncertainty, we cannot predict what will happen next. This is what causes worry, upset, panic, anger.

From a neuroscience perspective, we are seeking connection with others but we have been told to practice social distancing (which needs to be changed to physical distancing) and self-isolation; to stay home. As humans we need connection and when that need isn’t being met, we get pretty feral; the animal takes over and we “go out of our minds.”

So when you ask, "Who do I want to be during this pandemic?" you are, in a sense, reverse engineering. You are setting up who you want to be, probably based on a past version of your best self. What are you seeking is prediction and response so that you can manage to be your best self.

This is great because then you can go out with that sense of who you are, move to the side by two metres when you pass someone on the street, stand in line with the same distance from the person in front of you, only buy two of the same thing. After all, you desire to "be the kind of person who respects others."

There is no right or wrong here, just something engaging to think about so that we can be compassionate towards ourselves, which allows us to be compassionate towards others.

Download my free book: Think Queerly – Meditations & Critical Reflections On Liberating Humanity.

Image credit: Glowing Human Being by J E Theriot