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One big positive to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic experience over the past three years has been a shift in people’s mindset, according to local life coach Sharleen Greer.
She believes that the experience of having our lives suddenly jolted out of their routines has led people to re-evaluate what’s important and reassess how they can be less busy.
“The biggest change I’m seeing is a desire to find balance,” she says. “The pandemic and associated lockdowns changed some people’s lives quite radically and many don’t want to go back to the lifestyles they had prior to Covid.
“Workwise, many are choosing to do a home/office mix and families are prioritising their time differently.
“There is also growing realisation of how we all need to step up environmentally. For some reason, the pandemic has made us want to care for the planet, use less plastics, recycle and fly less often.”
Greer has worked in the wellness area for decades, from nursing and psychosynthesis counselling to naturopathy, child birth education and life coaching. She runs a business called Midlife Courage where she guides women through the middle years and helps them to navigate the myriad of unique challenges that come in mid-life.
Sometimes we are too quick to move on to the next item on our ‘to do’ list. We don’t recognise and celebrate our successes nearly enough.
Sharleen Greer
She says the pandemic has reintroduced people to the notions of gratitude and kindness, and there is a greater tendency to see the cup half full instead of half empty.
“A lot of people who got to stay at home during the first lockdown relished the opportunity to rest and spend time at home, but by the second lockdown, they were beginning to be a bit ‘over it’. Plus, there were divisions forming in families and among friends with different points of view on vaccinations, mandates and mask wearing.
“On the surface, it feels like life has got back to normal for most of us, but underneath the surface, there are many people dealing with some huge financial and mental health issues. People have had no choice but to make changes in their lives and that’s never easy, particularly for our young people.”
For anyone feeling like their life might have lost a bit of direction, Sharleen recommends asking some basic questions such as ‘where am I?’, ‘where do I want to be?’ and ‘how do I get there?’.
She says change is about making things better not worse, so it’s important to set goals that are achievable in both the short and long term. Goals need to be manageable so they aren’t overwhelming, and it is good to include creative goals that can be fun, not just financial and personal goals.
“The clearer you can be with your goal the easier it is to achieve.
“We all deal with crises and stress differently, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. People need to learn more about themselves so they can work out what’s achievable for them. There are a lot of credible online tools to help with this process and defining SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals is still a good strategy. I like to also add HEART (Harmonious, Engaging, Aspirational, Refreshing, Tantalising) goals, which reflect more of the feminine approach.”
Sharleen is also a big believer in aligning goals to values and keeping things in perspective.
“The world has been through wars and pandemics before, and survived. It’s okay to feel uncertain at times like this, but if you can keep perspective, it takes the enormity out of it.
“We also need to remember to reward ourselves when we make progress, no matter how big or small. Sometimes we are too quick to move on to the next time on our ‘to do’ list. We don’t recognise and celebrate our successes nearly enough.
“Having goals gives a person a sense of direction and can help them to see the bigger picture. Goals also provide motivation and can give a person greater control over their future, which can be helpful after a major event such as Covid.
“Many young people are also learning stress release through mindfulness, meditation and yoga.”
Helpful tips to maintain goals:
• Write them down and view them regularly.
• Develop a pathway to achieve your goals and then break it down into smaller steps.
• Be proactive. Goals do not happen by themselves.
• Keep perspective and change plans if you need to, especially if you identify obstacles along the way. Keep reflecting and adjusting your goals accordingly.
• Be accountable, because this will help you to make steady and consistent progress. Share your goals with a friend if that helps to keep you focused.
