By now the reality of life with Covid-19 is starting to sink in. The carefree days of unrestricted social interaction and travel are no longer possible. We are adjusting to a new world order that is run by a microscopic tyrant.  Everyone I know is getting cabin fever. As states lift restrictions, either gradually or instantaneously, the temptation it is to ignore the warnings of healthcare experts increases.

Thinking “I need to get out of the house. I’ll just go to the store to pick up these few items. That will help me feel more like life is back to normal.” is understandable. But the reality is, life is not back to normal and our encounters with others increase the risk of exposure to this malevolent virus. Until there is an expansive testing program, an effective treatment, or a vaccine how can we start to feel more normal?

Answering a question with a question

My maieutic thinking led me to another powerful question: “If my life now is how my life is going to be, how can I make it better?” I began exploring the concept of “Living the Good Life During the Pandemic and Beyond.” I challenged myself to think of creative ways to use what I already have (be it material possessions or thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) in new and different ways. If I am going to be at home, how can I expand my being, my life force, and my experience at home?

That question excited me. So much of what depresses me about this experience is the mundaneness of it. It is a difficult time for everyone, but what could I/we do to move through the experience from drudgery and melancholy, to acceptance, to creating a good life – a fulfilling life – under less than ideal circumstances. I do not know how long Covid-19 will continue to be an imminent threat and affect our daily lives. However, I do not want a virus to steal the joy from my life and to “awaken” six months or a year from now and I feel like I wasted that time.

I believe, as do many others, I am being given an opportunity to reset my life goals and expectations and to recalculate my life trajectory. But what kind of life do I want to create?

Creation is a creative process comprised of both doing and being. It begins with questions and contemplation which are part of a physical, spiritual, and emotional inventory. I know both what I have and what I am lack.

Living creatively

Creativity does not necessarily mean we need more of something. It means using what we already have in different ways. Many working and retired Americans wonder how to pay bills and put food on the table. As a result, creating a new environment by rearranging the living room furniture may seem inconsequential. But it is not. The simple act of moving the furniture to different locations and seeing how that feels changes your focus. Changing your focus changes your perspective on current problems and difficult circumstances. That small act encourages questioning, contemplation, and movement in other areas of life. We move from being stuck into just being.