What will ‘new normal’ look like?

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We are ending the month on a sad note. While it was somewhat expected, still the reality is harsh that schools are closed for the remainder of the school year. What a great disappointment this must be for the class of 2020.

As a parent of two boys who graduated from Durant High School, I can’t imagine how I would feel if they had to miss out on their graduation or any of their “lasts” during their senior year. My youngest son played basketball all through school and was the pitcher and first baseman for the high school baseball team. I know it’s a tough pill to swallow for the students and the parents. But as communities we will get through this together. #COMMUNITYSTRONG!

This begs the question of when will we get back to normal or what is being referred to as our “new normal” and what will that look like?

Handshakes may become just doing fist bumps or going by the wayside all together. I know a lot of folks, myself included, are huggers. This may be totally frowned upon in the “new normal.” One of the biggest things that should change, if we as a society expect people to stay home when they are sick, is that those employers who do not offer paid sick days to their employees should do so. Many of them go to work when they are sick because they have to pay their bills. A big part of our new normal will be relationships we have with people. Some will become stronger and others will unfortunately fade away. It only takes a minute to check in on someone and checking in lets people know they are important to you.

We will need to adapt and live our lives as best as we can.

I want to leave you with some resiliency tips to help you to continue to get through this crisis. 1.) A healthy breakfast sets the pace for a resilient day; think twice before indulging in heavy foods like biscuits, gravy, fried eggs and bacon. 2.) Get moving; jog, walk or bike outside for sunshine and fresh air. 3.) Maintain adequate hydration; coffee and soda may give you a caffeine high, but nothing can refresh like a cool glass of water. 4.) Hunt the Good Stuff! Write down three good things from each day and focus on them so you bounce and don’t break when stressed. And finally, laugh! Finding humor and being positive releases tension, refreshes the spirit and improves emotional health.

#INTHISTOGETHER

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