With the pandemic nearly behind us, we’re all starting to get comfortable re-entering the world and taking back our old lives. But something feels different. The changes brought on by the pandemic have disrupted our lives in several ways, altering the way we work, learn, socialize, and interact with the world around us. Facing these challenges has had an undeniable impact on our self-esteem and confidence. After feeling trapped and helpless for so long, it may take some time to rebuild your confidence and regain your sense of balance.
Connect with Others
Social support plays an incredibly important role when it comes to recovering from traumatic experiences. During the past two years of the pandemic, we’ve all become far too familiar with feelings of loneliness and isolation. However, the psychological impact of being confined to your home for so long can be difficult to shake. It’s normal to experience feelings of anxiety as you get back out there and begin interacting with others again.
Go Back to School
Many of us also experienced changes to our work routines during the pandemic. Whether you faced job loss or a shift to remote work, returning to a regular office environment can be anxiety-inducing. How do you get that confidence back?
Actively pursuing your professional growth is a great way to build your self-confidence after a career setback. Going back to school, for example, will enable you to learn new skills that will open the door to new positions and careers that better align with your ambitions. By enrolling in a degree program from an online school like UoP, you can earn your bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, or associate degree in everything from business administration to education.
Get Your Exercise Routine Back on Track
According to Everyday Health, the pandemic has had a significant impact on our exercise routines. Physical activity levels around the world dropped dramatically during the pandemic. If you feel less motivated to exercise than you did before the pandemic, you’re in good company. While physical activity is a fantastic treatment for stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, struggling with these mental health challenges can destroy your motivation to work out. Try to ease back into exercise by starting slow and managing your expectations.
Take Care of Yourself
Practicing self-care is essential as we come out of the pandemic. Exercising, pursuing your passions, and spending time with positive people all play a role in self-care, but there’s more you can do. For example, simply stepping outside and soaking up some sun can banish brain fog and lift your mood. Better yet, try forest bathing or find a relaxing spot to sit and watch the world turn. Don’t underestimate the wonderful mental health benefits of doing nothing!
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Combat Negative Self-Talk
You’ll have a much easier time regaining your confidence if you can quiet negative self-talk. Some unhelpful thinking patterns include jumping to conclusions, all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, emotional reasoning, or placing undue blame on yourself for things out of your control. You may even find that you’re beating yourself up about letting healthy habits slip during the pandemic. While you might not notice at first, it’s easy to get trapped in these negative thought patterns. Try to be mindful of your thoughts so you can let go of unhealthy thinking patterns and make more room for self-care in your life.
Adjusting to life after the pandemic is proving almost as challenging as navigating life during the initial outbreak. It’s human to be resistant to change. But as humans, we are also incredibly adaptable! Embrace change, don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone, and strive for self-improvement as you leave the pandemic behind.
Written by Charlene Roth
Featured Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
