Self-knowledge during social isolation

The social isolation necessary to reduce the speed of the spread of the coronavirus has led us to many changes, and NOTHING will be like before the pandemic. We are constantly changing and subject to natural selection. Our perspective on the world, our vulnerabilities, relationships and needs have completely changed. You have changed, even if you don’t fully realize it.

As human beings, we often get caught up in short-term thinking and look for external solutions to the challenges we face, but we don’t have to settle for this limitation. There are many ways we can cultivate long-term choices and priorities that can be beneficial for us today and for the years to come.

We’re great at procrastinating, making excuses, getting really great at fatuous things, while letting what really matters to us wither and die. And it makes sense in a twisted way, because having people, activities, qualities that are valuable to us is scary, because it also means that we can lose them or be harmed by them.

So we fill our time, we use the time slices for less stressful things, because in order to move on to what matters, we also move towards a place of vulnerability, a place with the potential to get hurt. We get so caught up in “I have” or “I owe” that, frankly, we have no idea what’s important to us. That’s why it’s essential to take the time to find out who and what is important to you. We cannot reach a destination if we don’t know where we want to go.

So, here’s the reflection: What did you learn about yourself, about your desires, fears, desires during this period of social distance and quarantine? What small change have you made that you can make to your schedule to move towards something that matters? How can you remember to do this behavior? How will you track your changes?

This is an informative text and is not intended to exhaust the subject or replace consultation with a specialized professional. If you identify with the text, I suggest seeking the help of a professional who has theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the area.

Text authored by Psychologist and Professor Priscila Rolim.

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