How Is COVID Impacting The Haloha Community?
8 Different Reactions To The COVID Crisis
This pandemic is profoundly affecting all of us. How we live, the way we work, our ability to relate to each other and ourselves, and even what we eat and how we sleep.
We are all experiencing these changes differently based on so many factors, and for many it has been a family and financial crisis. The saying “We are all experiencing the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat” seems particularly true and poignant. Despite our different journeys, however, we are united in a moment of collective grief, accentuated by the uncertainty about what waits for us, our loved ones, and our way of life, on the other side of the storm.
I wanted to get a sense of how our Daily Haloha community is coping, so we posed this prompt in our app:
“At this time of social distancing, I’m noticing that I ________.”
We received hundreds of responses from all over the world.
For some, their worlds have clearly been upended and they are struggling day-to-day to find routine and feel connected. For others, it’s been a time of reconnection and self-discovery.
Our community expressed plenty of contradictory emotions and shifting feelings.
Many talked about time — how they were adjusting to a slower pace or dealing with more time on their hands.
We were buoyed to read responses from members who are appreciating the new cadence to their days:
“I appreciate being more family-focused and less work-frenzied.” — Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
“I really enjoy slowing down.” — Toronto, Ontario, Canada
“I actually am enjoying the time with my family and doing things creative and fun, things I don’t normally do.”
Others are searching for ways to feel motivated and be productive during the slow down:
“I have a lot of great ideas and am very capable of executing them, but I just need to focus and stay motivated to accomplish my plans.” — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
“I don’t lack time as much as I lack discipline.” — Laredo, Texas, USA
And for some, it’s less about productivity and more about going inward. They are having new realizations and even newfound compassion for themselves:
“I am having plenty of time to gather my thoughts, and get ready for life’s next adventure. — Royal Oak, Michigan, USA
“I’ve realized I kept adding a lot of stuff on my plate to avoid hearing my inner self.” — Instanbul, Turkey
“I have a lot more time to take care of myself, and it’s something I need to continue doing when life returns to normal.” —Ladson, South Carolina, USA
“I can learn some important things about myself from daydreaming.” — Springfield, Missouri, USA
While we’re all trying to adjust to the new pace of life and extra time on our hands, at times it’s what we’re missing that’s most noticeable.
Many crave the structure they had before. We miss other people, sometimes even to our surprise. And we long for physical touch.
“I want to be more social with others, as each day goes by. also, how important human interaction is to us mentally.” — Harker Heights, Texas, USA
“I work best when I have structure to my life. I miss people.” — New York, New York, USA
“I’m craving intimacy.” — Manitou Springs, Colorado, USA
“I enjoy a schedule, miss having a fulfilling job, and miss miss miss tight hugs and meeting new people.” — Prior Lake, Minnesota, USA
“I miss somebody touching or hugging me :( ” — Sarzeau, Bretagne, France
More than anything, people are noticing the strength or, conversely, the tenuousness of their relationships and the degree to which they feel connected.
For some, this time is highlighting a desire for more connection than they previously had.
“I have not been affected that much in my social life, which is depressing because I lack connections with others. I’m a bit of a loner, I guess.” — Florida, USA
“I have friends that say they are friends but haven’t heard a peep from them.” — Kansas, USA
“I need someone to really talk to. I always wanted to have someone but at this point I realized that I don’t have anyone and how much it affects me.” — Sinaloa, Mexico
While others are quite content with their own company — in fact, the introverts seem to be having a moment!
“I feel less anxious than usual about my isolation tendencies, knowing that my community is experiencing something similar together.” — California, USA
“As an introvert, am feeling far less pressure to explain myself. Forgive me, but after a lifetime of the opposite, that feels really, really nice.” — Illinois, USA
“I relax much more, am more calm and enjoying being in my own company.” — Oslo, Norway
This has also been a time of reconnection and establishing new routes of contact and communication — for realizing the importance of relationships and appreciating the people in our lives.
“I am making a stronger effort to stay in touch with my friends & family through video calls. Feeling closer than ever despite the physical separation!” — Burlington, Vermont, USA
“I have more friends than I realized.” — Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada
“I cherish each interaction with family and friends so much more.” — Whittier, North Carolina, USA
“I took so much for granted, and I won’t make that mistake again. I hope other people won’t either.” — Madison, Mississippi, USA
The hardship and uncertainty wrought by the pandemic has challenged our emotional wellbeing and profoundly impacted our lives. So many members of our Daily Haloha community expressed feelings of anxiety and depression — and grief for our losses at this time.
Yet there is also gratitude for what we do have, the sacrifices of others, and for the new awakening many are experiencing. It can be confusing to vacillate between frustration and gratitude, fear and hope, sadness and joy, but all of these feelings can coexist at any given moment.
“Feeling stressed, yet more connected to some people. It’s confusing because I am both scared and yet things have slowed down in a more peaceful way.” — Hillsborough, North Carolina USA
“I have really good days and really bad days.” — Loganville, Georgia USA
As I read these heartfelt expressions of what it feels like in this moment across the world, it’s a reminder to double-down on compassion. I don’t remember another time when I had such an awareness of my interconnection with every other human being on the planet. Yet, these observations also remind me of our differences, and how much patience, empathy, and generosity is needed to weather this storm together.
For me, a submission from a community member in Spain sums it up perfectly: In this time of social distancing, I’m noticing that:
“We all need each other!” —Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
