This year is going to be a 2020! Perhaps many of us would prefer not to repeat this phrase soon. And many other words from this year. Words have a way of reinforcing certain emotions, attitudes, and reactions within us. Even if we don’t use them ourselves, just listening to them, or reading them is enough to set a series of subtle reflex responses. For instance, the erstwhile meaning of 2020 - clarity, focus, possibilities - has become synonymous with feelings of despair and fatigue. A landmark year meant to be celebratory, and full of accomplishment of goals, has become a period we’d rather forget.
Merriam-Webster has revealed its word of the year and no surprises there - pandemic. Don’t we all know the word only too well? The Oxford English Dictionary has decided to change tradition, and not select a word of the year, saying 2020 is “a year which cannot be neatly accommodated in one single word.” Indeed, several words and phrases have risen to international recognition this year.
Stay safe is the new goodbye
Don’t get us wrong. We like our new greetings. Yet, conversations today abound with phrases like, ‘Have you got yourself tested?’ to ‘I think I’m having a blursday’. If you think you’re the only one who forgets which day the world is on, you’re not alone. How about we add a little tail to some words, and lessen their baggage?
1) Stay safe: Staying safe is more about staying true to one’s nature, and enlivening those values that make us human. Stay happy, stay healthy, and above all, be in wisdom. Life, itself, is the greatest teacher, and 2020 has lent different lessons for us all.
2) Social distancing: Keep a physical distance but stay socially connected. Wearing a mask and keeping a distance doesn’t stop us from connecting with people - old friends, new neighbors, and even foes. After all, everyone needs a little kindness, especially now.
3) Self-isolate: You’re lucky. You’re getting a lot of time to spend with yourself. It’s a holiday, after all. As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Book yourself to a place where everything is beautiful! That place is within you! Wherever you go after that, you will add beauty.” So, make the period of self-isolation a beautiful period of growth, and nurturing.
4) Mask-shaming: How many times have we heard, “Why are you wearing a mask?”, or been berated for not wearing one? How about we remember to change or, better yet, drop the masks we often wear? Drop those masks woven from guilt, fear, pride, or anger and just be your natural self with people.
5) Superspreader: Being a superspreader might not be a bad thing. As long as we’re spreading the best that life has to offer - joy, enthusiasm, purpose, time, energy, love. Isn’t this also a nice way to think of a community spread!
6) Nomophobia: The fear of not being able to use our phones is real, especially during these times when technology has kept all of us closely connected. Yet, we know the addiction is not healthy either. It’s time to practice a bit of digital detox. Every time we feel nomophobic, why don’t we take a deep breath and remind ourselves to stay in the moment? Connect with a loved one instead, experience life outside of the digital world.
7) Zoombombing: The world of Zoom calls abound with curious, embarrassing moments better left unsaid. A sudden appearance of your pet dog on a Zoom call, or your roommate popping in casual wear - all our formal Zoom calls have been ‘bombed’ with such incidents. Yet life - like Zoom - could throw up curious events or situations that ‘bomb’ on your plans, and that perfect moment. Just don’t allow anything to rain on your parade.
8) Lockdown: The fear and stress of being locked-in are overwhelming. Just knowing that your freedom is temporarily curbed in different ways is stifling. Here’s the thing: we all have a new-found appreciation for aspects we never paid attention to earlier (like freedom), isn’t it? Doesn’t freedom taste sweeter with a quick prayer of thanks often said for things that we take for granted? Not a bad outcome for a lockdown - a locked-in appreciation for life.
9) Doomscrolling: Scanning through pages and pages of depressing COVID news is something we all have been guilty of. The mind is unable to stop or take a step back and do something different. Try this: with just a little awareness, shut your eyes, and take your attention to your breath. Take 10-15 deep inhalations. When you open your eyes, you would already have broken the pattern and given your mind a break. You might not feel like getting back to the same reading. Regular short meditations will really help you moderate this habit.
10) Pandemic anxiety: The only thing to fear is fear itself, goes the common adage. The increase in awareness about mental health has been encouraging, with more open conversations. No problem is larger than us, with a solution right behind. Look for it by seeking help, focussing on wisdom, adopting healthy lifestyle practices like yoga, meditation, and breathwork, or by expressing yourself through art.
Love is infectious. Laughter is contagious. Compassion can start a whole new pandemic. Something that no virus can break into.
Based on Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s wisdom
Here’s something that can help you ease the filter of impressions, and build resilience in challenging moments. Discover the power of breathwork and mindfulness at the Online Meditation & Breath Workshop.
