Moving forward from the Coronavirus ordeal

“We are all in this together”, this seems to be the common phrase while having to be in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It feels however as if we have all been in a cocoon awaiting transformation to grow wings to be free again.

For me personally I felt a sense of disruption to my identity. I lost motivation to dress in stylish outfits. I have always taken great pride in ensuring my hair looks immaculate, “successorising” and making an effort to look nice. With lockdown restrictions in place, I found myself wearing my pajamas or house clothes around the house, eating more and basically having too much time to dwell on things. My routines were all over the shot and I lost track what day it was. I found myself tidying up cupboards and experimenting on new dishes. My little dog has never had it so good, regularly going out for walks and lapping up extra attention.

Does this sound familiar? Which goes to show you are not alone in feeling like this. We all experience these feelings in times of crisis.

Although restrictions have eased a little and encouraging for our state, I still cannot help but wonder “When is it truly safe?”. Will we all feel more at ease to travel overseas once a vaccine becomes available?

There is a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty I am feeling and the need to be mindful when handling money, touching surfaces and travelling interstate and overseas. I personally will choose to pay by card more and keep a hand sanitiser in my handbag at all times. I have noticed just having a tickle in a throat where it causes you to cough can create panic as if there is a witch hunt in place on being contagious.

I became an Arts Therapist with the mission to help others embrace change and empower oneself with endless possibilities and yet I have discovered that I too have to embrace the way life is at present and find new ways of moving forward.

Coping with a new way of living

Firstly it is important that we trace back how life was before this pandemic. What types of activities/interests we had, our times spent with family and friends and the places we once visited.

Considering new possibilities that you may have not thought possible that has worked during this pandemic that can be incorporated into your new way of living. Did you like working from home?

For me it was using new technology and learning new skills on-line. I would be more open to tuning in to more webinars and incorporating Art Therapy on-line for clients that lived in outer suburbs. Having enjoyed being outdoors more, I would be open to meet a client somewhere therapeutic like the beach or a park that breaks the cycle in engaging in a therapeutic session at my practice only.

Focus on the here and now and taking a day at a time. It will take time to process all that has happened but setting new goals will shift our thought processes and provide us a purpose to work towards. I will probably put in place one new intention per day to achieve.

Embracing Self Care in aspects of your life that brings consistency such as ensuring you take a ten minute break to stretch or mediate, enjoy the fresh air and giving yourself permission to be you. Taking more tender care to your soul and time to listen to your body. Making appropriate food choices and engaging in physical activities that do not feel like exercise. For me it is dancing.

Art Therapy was a great way for me to express how all these restrictions felt in my body. I found making a collage, visual art, guided mediation, learning to play my guitar, listening to music and journalling took me on a road of self discovery. I got to enjoy just living a slower pace and will take that new knowing as life returns as it was.

Life after the Coronavirus will take time to adjust to a new way of living. It is a journey that can make us stronger as a community and hopefully showed us all creative ways of living during the pandemic. Once we can all embrace change and create new chapters, then stepping out of our cocoon and entering the world as a butterflies can only present new possibilities.

Art therapy can help with this exploration and can empower us to bring back control in our lives that, at times, became lost during the pandemic crisis. It can help us creatively express our journey and open up new knowing when words can be at times hard to say. It got me through the difficult times and gave me the gift of hope, hopefully it can for you too.