Letting Go of Self-Comparison Can Be Tricky.
Quarantine guilt???
There is one component of the coronavirus pandemic that most of us are experiencing but are not discussing ‘quarantine guilt’. Guilt over quarantine occurs just when you begin to feel a little more at ease. It creeps up on you as you awaken from your lie-in and lingers throughout the day – while you're browsing Instagram or conversing with your friends – making you question how you have spent your time. Quarantine guilt defines in what way? It's the conviction that you ‘should’ be doing more or ‘should’ have done more to improve your situation. In other words spending the additional time at home by training for a full marathon, daily journaling, learning to make pasta from scratch, repainting the house, or any other large endeavor. The question that has crossed many minds…should you be worried about keeping up with your pals' daily runs, freshly prepared dinners, and newly acquired language abilities?
Is more time at home (because of covid) a time to do something or a time to unwind?
Here is what I believe…..
On one side, it seems rational to spend this time working towards a goal, like learning a language or committing to some kind of daily physical movement. With the time saved by not physically attending classes, seminars, and social activities, you may find yourself bored on certain days. Alternatively, you might utilize this time to relax, read, watch movies, or zoom with an old friend.
In the end, we stay(ed) home to be safe, not to improve ourselves. Not everyone copes well with stress.. Good for you if you perform well under pressure. It's okay to not be (or have been) productive. It's good either way, so don't compare yourself to others who seem to be doing well right now.
“Letting go of self-comparison can be a tricky task. This way of thinking is deeply ingrained in many of us. However, you can reduce your temptation to compare by recognizing and celebrating your individuality. All humans are fundamentally different, trying to compare yourself to others is pointless”. ~Brene Brown
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Do whatever makes you feel happy and safe. No one is going to judge you on what you have or haven’t achieved. It’s a global pandemic – you don’t have to be okay all of the time.
Remember: everyone has worried, everyone has felt the stress – we’re all in this together.
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