Some of us have just come out of a period of isolation as a result of corona virus. Whilst others have gone back into or are about to go back into isolation. Naturally this can be a cause for real concern, and for those of us that revel in being social, the thought of isolation can be even more disconcerting. The effects of extended periods of isolation can be severe and even damaging, which is why most of us try to avoid such situations. Reasons for isolation at different times in life can be many and varied. They can include such causes as illness, living remotely, being away from friends, incarceration, or a global crisis that necessitates government mandated isolation.
But you could choose to think of it as an opportunity instead. It provides a rare chance at earnest self-reflection and the ability to explore those activities that have long been on your to-do list. It can serve as a period of personal growth and ironically a chance to improve social connections, albeit remotely. This ability to monitor our attitude is key, since it will have a large bearing on how we perceive the isolation period. Here are a number of upsides to isolation that might give you some ideas and help ease your mind to some extent.
Self-Reflect. This period of isolation affords us the opportunity to think deeply about our lives, our social connections and also our jobs. By taking a break from public life, we can't help but reflect on where we are in our lives and what things if any we might want to do differently post-isolation. We have the chance to gain insights that we otherwise might miss out on, as we're often unaware how much as social animals we're involved in group-think or herd-mentality. Our authentic self can be harder to realize among a crowd, where we often feel compelled to blend in. The actions you would choose in a group setting aren't necessarily the same as what you'd choose for yourself when deciding autonomously. So being able to reflect on our behavior patterns or trends, can give us some very valuable insights into our decision making process and the factors or people that most often influence those decisions. Some people find that journaling is a good way to capture thoughts and ideas when they arise, for further examination at a later time.
Stabilize. We can take this time to look at how we might want to be better grounded in our lives, and feel less pulled in different directions by external influences. By investing time in our home environment by making it clean, tidy and comfortable, we will likely be more willing to spend time at home post-isolation. Setting up a comfort zone in the home will make us feel more productive and at peace. This in turn can afford us with more chances for self-reflection and feeling grounded, than the demands of our busy lives outside the home allow. This greater sense of stability or feeling grounded will in turn boost our confidence and help us to thrive.
Life Planning. This is a great time to plan or re-assess our life goals. Without some concrete goals in place we will find it very difficult to know how we're tracking and if we're even headed in the right direction that's in accordance with our authentic selves. So make it a priority to write down or type out your life goals and see if they still feel right for you, or could do with some tweaking. Just as muddy water can only clear up when the mud settles, stillness will allow us to see within ourselves more clearly. Often our best ideas can come to us when we're relatively still and calm, be it lying in bed or taking a shower.
Re-Align. As social beings, we can often find ourselves in an endless feedback loop where the things that the outside world values as measures of success can only be found in the outside world. Consumerism has for most of us on some level of unconsciousness embedded a work hard, play hard mentality. Thereby intrinsically linking socialization with happiness. This results in an instant sense of unease when faced with the disconnection from society brought about by solitude. This is when it's necessary to pause and remember that happiness comes from within and isn't found in externals. Take a moment to think about how solitude can allow us a chance to re-align our habits and become detached from consumerism with its endless chase for gratification, and learn to be content with our current selves and with the things that we already possess. Often all it takes is to pose the question that once our basic needs are met, how much more do we really need.
Clever Socializing. Don't let physical distancing keep you apart from those who are important to you. Explore alternative options such as video calls, or social gaming. Reach out to people you've not been in touch with for a while, or with whom you might like to establish a better connection, such as neighbors or long-lost friends.
Get Creative. There might be an interest or hobby you've been wanting to take up for ages, but have never gotten around to it. This is the best time to make the first baby-steps at giving that interest a go, and breaking through whatever barriers might've held you back in the past. Often these interests are genuinely creative interests with little to no income-earning potential, and as they're not esteemed or deemed a priority, they get put off. They may hold some special fascination or significance to us personally, so we should be kind to ourselves and go ahead and explore that interest. Perhaps you've been wanting to start your own side-business, or investigate a change of career path. Now is the best time to take the first steps, free from distractions.
So these are just a few points to consider when facing any fears about isolation. Although I haven’t necessarily acted on all of them myself, I did at least given each of them some thought. Doing this has helped me to get some perspective on my current period of isolation and to realize that it’s not all bad. I’ve taken comfort from this and it’s made me want to take advantage of the opportunities whilst they’re there. I hope it brings you some comfort too.