Hope in the Crisis

It’s no secret that what’s happening these days is tough on everyone. The limits of the human experience are being challenged in ways we never imagined would happen to us. In some instances, you hear whispers that we weren’t prepared for this. And yet...

You hear stories of resilience.

Videos on social media have gone viral, of people singing from their balconies, exercise instructors getting people to exercise from their balconies, people dancing with each other at a socially-respectable distance, and visiting loved ones through glass or the other side of a balcony to close the gap on the lack of social contact people have been getting these days.

Then there are the virtual interactions, with the choirs and orchestras coming together to perform masterfully edited numbers that include hymns, Disney covers, and show tunes. There have also been the music artists who have done virtual concerts and the movie actors who have been collaborating to provide some measure of comfort during this time, like the Parks and Rec special and John Krasinski’s Some Good News network. Even Facebook has created a way for people to come together and talk to each other.

Yes, the world has changed, and the way we do things is wildly different than before, but something I can’t help but see is the amount of resilience people have in the middle of all this.

This is not to downplay your experience if you’re struggling in the middle of this pandemic – this is not an easy time, for anyone. And it is not fair to think that anyone can just bounce back after something as life-altering as this. I would actually be more curious about those who say they’re doing fine with all of this, and haven’t really experienced too many problems yet.

But there is something about humans that makes us pliable despite our challenges. I’m willing to bet that a fair number of you can look back on what has happened since the country shut down and see ways you have adapted and stretched yourself in places you would have thought insane before it was necessary. And more than a fair few of you can probably sit and wonder how you’re able to keep going now, even though some things feel downright overwhelming. I know that thought has run through my head a couple times. Okay, maybe more than a couple times.

So what I want to do is get your stories. Tell me your experiences. What have you found surprising, exciting, overwhelming about this change in our world that has been a story of resilience for you? In what ways have you found yourself growing and stretching, despite, in spite of, or to spite the global shift in the way our world works?

Send me an email with your story of resilience at quarantinestoriesathome@gmail.com. Keep it anonymous, and make it as formal or informal as you want. I’ll compile them and share them with you once I get a decent batch.

We could all use some encouragement these days, and what better place for them to come from than individuals just like you?

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Disclaimer: I am a graduate student of psychology, and therefore am not a licensed psychologist yet. I am here to offer helpful tidbits about this field I am dedicating my life to, but I should not replace formal education or therapy. If you disagree with something I say, please tell me. Science is a good way to show me I am sharing something inaccurate.

Disclaimer: While I am providing resources for the Psychological Services Center (PSC), this blog runs independently from the organization, and the views expressed herein may not necessarily reflect the views of the PSC or Regent University. Resources posted under the PSC banner have been deemed appropriate for the student population and the clientele community by licensed psychologists, and ties to the organization should be limited to posts with this disclaimer.

If you need help, please consider speaking to someone. There are many great resources out there, and they genuinely want to help.