Mindful Minute: Returning to the Public Arena

By Phillip Stephan

What have you missed the most while we held the line to beat the pandemic? Is it concerts, sports, traveling, or something we took for granted such as simply being able to give someone a hug?  

For me, it is a combination of all of it. At the end of 2020, I thought about everything I missed and slowly understood the sheer number of experiences we had to forgo. Now, cautious optimism has started to take root, as vaccinations are open to a large swath of the population and California is re-opening. That also raises more questions, including: what should we do first? 

Plenty of people I have spoken to about “coming back” have lightly joked the end of the pandemic will kindle another Roaring Twenties, wherein everyone passionately embraces all of the possibilities that have been lost during the pandemic, with extravagance. I understand the concept – I cannot wait to celebrate when this pandemic is over! Understanding the anticipation for that moment, it is important to take a step back and think about how to handle the return to the public arena, as we have been in the “new normal” for over a year.   

Integrating with the world does not need to happen all at once and it does not have to be an experience that comes easily. Personally, I am leaving some breathing room when I start to have a social schedule again, and structuring my schedule based on the understanding that doing everything immediately may lead to burnout or diminishing returns. We have waited (patiently or impatiently) for the moment I am hoping does finally come when we can safely and successfully choose to return to a pre-pandemic world.  

I believe we should all leave space for ourselves to handle a return to normalcy in a way you are most comfortable with, and to continue to do what you need to do to prioritize self-care and enjoyment. Consider the long-term effects of trying to do everything at once, and whether that is truly the way that would maximize your enjoyment of the moment and your well-being – only you know what feels right for yourself, so it is important to stay mindful in the decision making process and truly enjoy the things we have missed so much. As you embrace your ability to enjoy those things you have missed, focus on self-awareness and how you are processing and reacting to the stimuli you are encountering – checking in and taking a pause to look inward can provide the opportunity to clarify and adjust as you go forward, in a constructive fashion. 

I hope to see you at some point in 2021 and wish everyone the best as we move forward. 

Phillip Stephan is an experienced litigator, and also has transactional experience with entrepreneurs and established companies. He is Senior Counsel at Klinedinst, where he practices in professional liability, employment litigation and counseling, and commercial litigation.