This week, I’ve been spending time trying to figure out the key to navigating relationships post-pandemic. I can’t believe it’s been almost one month since I posted a blog post here. I have been spending more time working on some other projects that have taken a lot of my time.
A great deal has changed relationally for everyone over the last year and a half. My life was no different. Even though I didn’t have the opportunity to stay home and drive my daughter crazy due to my essential worker status, I still felt the heaviness of the season, especially with navigating relationships.
I started to notice myself becoming extremely exhausted and numb to everything that was going around me. I felt so deprived and isolated as I thrive off quality time with my friends and family. Most importantly, I stepped up and got some help. I have been going to therapy since late 2020, and it’s been the most fantastic experience with treatment thus far.
For many of us, the pandemic either helped, stalled, or damaged our relationship with others. It feels like there is tension and a weird energy around the idea of coming together with others again which makes navigating relationships tough. I know I have heard people say, ” I feel like I’ve forgotten how to be with others again.”
But as the Word says, what my Father has brought together, nothing can separate.
Not sure if that’s the exact words, but you should get the gist. If a relationship was strong and meant to be in your life, no pandemic or social distancing can tear that apart. There may be weird moments, but the ties shall stand. However, the enemy knows that he can’t separate, so he causes confusion and uneasiness instead.
You may be feeling awkward or uncertain right now as we try to resume everyday social life to an extent. But I encourage you not to lose hope or fall for the schemes of the enemy. As single moms, we are challenged constantly in the area of loneliness and isolation. Whether we put ourselves there or our circumstances lead us into seclusion, we need to understand that our nature is to do life with others.
I don’t know about you, but I am going crazy. I need to touch and feel people!
Trust me; I am not allowing side-eyes and moments of rejection to steal my joy anymore. I sure hope you are not too. So today, I share with you my three tips to navigating relationships post-pandemic. These tips will not restore our pre-pandemic relationships overnight, but it’s a start.
1. Reach Out
Honestly, we often overcomplicate things. Often I find myself thinking too far into what the other person or people might think if I try to connect or visit. Truthfully, you won’t know until you reach out. Give them a call, quick “thinking about you” text, or write a letter. Whatever your form of communication in that relationship is, use it.
The above options will provide a simple but effective start because it relieves the pressure and possible sting of rejection that we often find in a face to face interaction. And know that they may be nervous, anxious, and feeling the same way about navigating relationships again too. You won’t know unless you try.
2. Be Completely Honest
Say after you reach out that you want to reconnect with an old friend. Instead of acting like the pandemic didn’t happen or affect you, use this time to practice vulnerability and be honest with how you have been through this time. You never know whether your truth will comfort another in their own experience with the pandemic.
I’m not saying to go and pour all your drama on them, but allow yourself to be open to sharing your current mental and emotional space with them because that may be what you need to get through this. Before the pandemic, interactions were becoming so superficial and barely scratching the surface anyway. This tip will help you to navigate relationships post-pandemic, not necessarily for accessibility but for more authentic and genuine intimacy.
3. Agree To Disagree
The last but critical tip to receive in this post is learning to agree to disagree. During the previous year and a half, there has been so much division. It all started with racial tension, political rhetoric, pandemic missteps, and vaccine hierarchy.
Each incident has allowed arguments, disagreements, fallen relationships, and the cancellation of cherished things. This point in time even ignited a surge of hate for all different types of groups. The common consensus has been if you disagree with me, we aren’t cool. And all of it has been painful to watch.
But I know deep down, for our relationships to stand the test of this pandemic, we must learn to agree to disagree. So single mom who has already been reluctant to connect with people, it’s time for you to work toward understanding and seeing the true benefit of befriending and connecting with someone whose perspective is slightly different from yours. We don’t like itwhen people make our choices our identity, so why should we start doing that to others now.
It is when we respect our differences we can see the beauty and purpose of being connected to others. -Chyna Nicole
All in all,
I want you all to see that we can reconnect in our relationships. Navigating relationships post-pandemic appears complicated and scary, but it’s simple at the end of the day. Our world has seen many changes, but it’s not as shocking as what God will do in our lives to restore the relationships that we hold so dear.
I say this, Single Mom, hang on and know that you have what it takes to attract the happy, healthy relationships you desire. No pandemic will stop you from receiving God’s best, even with the face mask on.
Need more resources? Check out these blog post:
You can also join the Women Seeking Confidence Facebook group for a community of women headed in the same direction as you in regards to growing in love life:
