We all know it- COVID-19 changed everything. Everyone is talking about ‘the new normal’, and it’s nothing like any of us have ever seen before. There was a time when the ‘new normal’ was having a birthday party on a zoom call, and now we’re trying to find a ‘newer new normal’, so to speak. For example, we’ve collectively changed our routines (some more than others) to reintroduce daily activities that involve more face-to-face interaction, less virtual presence, and the need for a bigger cognitive effort, which means a stronger mental push to rewire our brains.
The pandemic had made us rethink everything- how we socialize, how we work, and how we live. While this made sense at the time, for a lot of us, it also worsened the pre-existing mental health crisis. What was already difficult, became even more challenging with a phenomenon called languishing, a term made popular in a New York Times article by organizational psychologist Adam Grant.
Grant says that languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness, which has the potential to become a dominant emotion for many of us as we try to make our transition into the post-pandemic world. This is different than experiencing a ‘burn out’ or being diagnosed with clinical depression- people going through languish still have their energy, and may not feel hopeless, which is common in those going through depression. Languishing feels more like being aimless, and joyless.
While there’s an assortment of psychological tools to fight these languishing blahs, researchers in mental health say that practicing ‘mindfulness’ can actually help facilitate a shift in our brains from languishing, that is, our thoughts drifting to the past and the future, to a more flourishing one.
So, what is mindfulness, exactly? Jon Kabat-Zinn, known as the ‘Father of the secular Mindfulness Movement’, describes it as ‘the awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.’
What’s interesting about this is that it’s easy to start and can be easily included in our daily routine to relax our mind and body, which eventually will reduce stress. These practices can be done at any time, and almost anywhere- whether you’re working from home, you’re in an office, or even in school or college. So, in case you find yourself asking “What am I doing?” or “Where is my life going?” and start to feel the feelings of hopelessness bubble up, just take a beat and make a conscious effort to notice the ‘now’- focus on your breathing, try to calm your mind, and most importantly, be kind to it and yourself.
Time and again, research has shown that mindfulness not only builds mental agility and strengthens your mental muscles, but it also helps develop a mind that is curious, compassionate, and creative. It will also help you explore approaches to initiate small steps towards a healthier mindset that is more resilient, less prone to interruption, and maintains focus.
Finally, it’s important to remember that this pandemic wasn’t the first of its kind, and it may not be the last either. We are going to face challenges and difficulties, be it at a personal, professional, social, or even global level in the future too- and so it’s important to navigate ourselves and our future generations through them while being equipped with tools and resources to adapt, and not just survive, but thrive. And what better way to do that than being mindful?
Welcome to your mindful journey – we know it’s only going to be easier from here.
