Grief - Post COVID
Effects of Loss
As a result of COVID-19, we struggled with many huge losses - the loss of loved ones, employment, and health, and lesser losses - cancelled travel plans, takeout meals and cooking at home instead of dinner out at a favorite place, working from home, virtual meetings, and the loss of everyday human contact. In short, countless changes and adjustments in the secure everyday routines and rituals of our lives has transformed our lives in ways we might never have thought possible.
For many. these losses have been accompanied by an apparent loss of creativity. Comments such as "I haven't painted in a year," "I haven't picked up my guitar in months," "I just can't focus enough to read a book, let alone write in my journal," describe the erosion of our creative selves. I believe that the capacity for creativity is not lost, but it certainly became blocked as a result of the anxiety and grief that seemed to cast a shadow over our life. How have you expressed or coped with grief and loss in your life?
While we may feel ready to rebuild, it is only with a healthy respect for the pain we are leaving behind us that we can move forward.
Self care, small steps, and compassion with ourselves as well as others must set the tone as we make small changes that will allow us to move forward and reconnect with our creativity.