Finding a new — better — normal

My phone, which sits on a nightstand, started aggressively vibrating Saturday at 2 a.m. It wasn’t a short blip from a text message or a buzz from a phone call that rings a few times, it was that too-long, will-it-ever-stop jolt from a Facebook Messenger video call.

The racket woke both my husband and me from a deep, middle-of-the-night sleep. Eugene grabbed my phone and began listing the names of relatives as they scrolled across the screen.

“Who died?” was the first unfortunate thought that passed through my muddled mind.

I looked at my phone and noticed I had 43 missed messages.

Preparing for the worst, I held my breath and began reading.

It turns out my mom, aunts and cousins were conversing about their childhood home. Over time, more relatives were added to the chat, and before anyone in America did the math on what time it was in Germany, things escalated to a full family video call.

My family has never before conducted a group call like that. I didn’t answer, but my fear of the worst turned to happiness as I realized my loved ones had found a way to come together and connect during this wild time.

I remember hearing about the Coronavirus in the beginning of February. I remember later that month sitting in a bar in Tallinn, Estonia, talking with friends about ‘the situation in China.’ And I remember when things in the Lombardy region of Italy began to escalate.

But I could have never imagined the events that would unfold throughout the entire globe within the next month.

After more than a week of social distancing and staying home, I’m finally coming to terms with the fact that it may be a while before life returns to “normal.”

And while it feels like the world has been flipped upside down, I can’t help but notice the new habits we’re all adopting while we take a collective step back. Habits that no doubt make us all better people. Habits that could potentially make the world a better place when this scary virus is no longer a threat.

Here’s how I’m finding a new—potentially better—normal in the present moment.

Finding ways to connect

I’ve felt more connected to family and friends in the last week than I have in the seven years since moving away from home.

There’s a definite sense that we’re all in this together—all of our lives have been altered for the same reason. And because we’re all at home and we’re all struggling through similar feelings, we feel the need to reach out to the ones we love. We’re connecting with more people than we previously would have, whether that means posting to social media, sending messages, or initiating a video call.

Staying informed of global issues

I’m that person who always aspired to know what was going on throughout the world every day. I’d listen to NPR on my way to work or read The Skimm a few times a week, but world news was never something I fully grasped.

Now it seems the majority of us are waking up each morning and starting the day with a quick scan of the news. We know what the stock market is doing in China, how quarantine has helped in South Korea, and what might be in store for the United States. We’re staying informed, because what’s happening elsewhere in the world will have a direct effect on our lives.

Spending more time outside

The outdoors have always been there, but I’d be lying if I said I made it a point to get outside every day. However, that’s been far from the case the past two weeks.

I set aside time every day to soak in the springtime sunshine by going for walks, runs and bike rides. Instead of spending my weekends traveling to must-see destinations around Europe, I’ve scoped out secluded hiking trails near my home. It’s a simple step to not only keep me healthy but also boost my mood.

Slowing down

With work schedules altered and businesses around me closed, I’m forced to slow down and spend my days at home. Instead of Eugene’s alarm waking up both of us, we sleep until the sun peaks through the rolladens. And we come together every night in the kitchen to cook a delicious meal at home.

There’s nowhere we need to be, so we’re instead finding ways to just be in the now and enjoy the present moment.

Focusing on what’s important

In the end, I’ve found the only way to really come to terms with all the changed plans, government-imposed restrictions, and fear of the unknown, is to focus on what’s important. What matters most to me is the health, safety and happiness of my loved ones.

And while I know the way we’re living now is not how things will be forever, I hope when we do settle back into our changed world, we remember the simple things that made us happy during this unprecedented time.

I hope that we take these new habits with us in the future, where we’ll surely all be a little happier.