As the world begins to roll back some of the most severe aspect as quarantine, the world is beginning to open up and after months of being cooped up and kept apart, we are now looking forward to seeing our loved ones and becoming part of the social world again. Few of us will be the same people we were a year ago. Many of us have experienced huge hardships and losses and we have been forced to dramatically alter the way we live and work. For many of us FOMO may have been replaced by FOGO -or a fear of going out.
When today’s young people grow up, will they see themselves as a “lost generation” whose lives will forever fall in the shadow of a global pandemic? It may well have some serious consequences, delaying their cognitive, emotional and social development. For those in the most critical periods of adolescence, it may even increase the risk of mental illness. It is essential for us to acknowledge the trauma of the past year and the enormous impact that it will have had. There is no question that we have been through a trauma, an extreme and disorienting experience that is far removed from everyday reality and has disquietingly seeped into our lives.
So, as we all emerge from our enforced hibernation in the coming months, how can we empower ourselves and our families to move forward positively and confidently and use our experiences to strengthen us.
“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.” Maya Angelou
Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at ways to help us step back into the world. Next week we will start with resilience and how we can use our experience of the past year to strengthen and empower us.
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