Embracing A New Norm…
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19
Hey Beautiful
Are you still adjusting to the “new norm” two-plus years later? Well, let’s start by saying when everything stopped, there were many times I screamed and said, “There’s nothing normal about the “new” norm!”
In March 2020, Covid hit the nation, and we had to embrace the “New Norm”. This was a huge shift in not only my life but everyone’s life. I had to plan what time to go to the supermarket with fewer people. I had to make sure I was socially distancing, staying 6 feet away from the next person. Every minute of the day, I felt like I was washing my hands and cleaning my house with Clorox. Before I even left the house, the first thing I made sure of was I had a mask. What a Mask?! Yes, the “New” Norm required us to wear a mask everywhere we went.
The New Norm: Staying Home
As Covid hit hard, the nation shut down. My job sent out an email to let us know that due to the widespread of Covid we would be off for 2 weeks. So, my first 2 weeks felt like a nice rona vacation. It started out beautiful. I woke up early as if I was going to work, shower, brushed my teeth, put on my cute sweats and did my hair, put on my D.Lashe lip gloss, and pressed on my eyelashes.
I checked on friends and family, told them I loved them, and to stay safe. And you know I would text the famous words, “If you need anything, please let me know. ” This was going to be a cakewalk. I was on my Rona mini vacation, and I didn’t have to work. My house was clean, clothes were washed and put away and the fridge was filled. Breakfast was made daily, and dinner was on by 4 pm. I don’t know about you, but I had a 2 Week plan. I set goals for the next 2 weeks I would be off:
- I am going to read a good book
- Finish writing my own book
- Take my morning walks
- Netflix and Chill
- Spend little time with Jesus, I know he missed me.
I was ready to conquer my “new’ Norm. It was only for two weeks, right? Wrong!
As the two weeks ended, another email was sent out announcing jobs and schools would be closed for the rest of the school year. We would work from home, and our kids would be doing remote learning. At this moment, my life hit the panic button. I kept telling myself I must embrace the new norm. But inside, I was screaming, “New Norm what!” There’s nothing normal about the new norm.
When Reality Of The New Norm Sets In
My days began to shift once again, and my Rona Vacay was over. It wasn’t much fun to quarantine away from the people you love. The new norm was Sunday church service in the living room.. and nightly Club Rona in the bedroom. Waking up, turning on your computer to go to work, and making sure your child turned on their computer to go to school. The new Norm consists of telling my daughter she would not be able to walk across the stage for graduation or have her last dance at the senior prom. I thought, “ this cannot be normal”
The Following Weeks
To make a long story short, the next weeks ahead of me didn’t go as well as my first 2 weeks. I don’t know about you, but for me, being quarantined in the house became very depressing, I quickly found my days getting longer and my nights even longer. I started to dread waking up. I told myself once again, “Baby girl, you have to embrace the new norm”. Soon I started to do new things. New recipes to cook for my family, and I also started to do spring cleaning. Yes, cleaning out the old to make room for the new.
As I started to embrace this reality, I began to realize Covid wasn’t the only new norm I was facing. During this time, I was going through my divorce. My husband and I were separated, and the divorce papers were in process. I had to face not only will I be a single 40-year-old woman, Oh my, but also once again a single Mom! My new Norm was also divorce.
Our new norms can be as drastic as Covid, divorce plus becoming a single mom, or as small as changing how we eat to live a healthier life. New norms are not always negative situations, some new norms can be exciting such as getting married or having a baby with the man you love. I believe all new norms, whether good or bad, bring a shift to your life. So, my sista friend, yes, there are many uncertainties that come with experiencing new norms in our lives, but can I encourage you and let you know that new norms come with a new perspective, new possibilities, and a new purpose?
My New Perspective
My “New Norm” also gave me a new perspective on life. After my divorce, I felt as if I lost everything and gained nothing. I didn’t even realize that what I had gained was a new perspective on life. I decide for myself and my kids I didn’t want to be bitter I wanted to be better.
In order to gain a fresh perspective on life I knew I had to release my old way of thinking. I knew I needed to refocus on how I saw my situation and how I saw myself. In refocusing, I had to spend time with myself and God. In those moments alone I embrace everything I was feeling, and I assessed why I was feeling that way.
I was able to view my circumstances and find the lessons and grow from them. I received a clearer perspective on relationships and love. Not just love for a man, but love for my family, Love for my God, and more than anything, love for myself. It was imperative to embrace the ideas that it was ok to be alone again. I capture a new outlook on life and raising my kids. My new perspective on life catapulted me into embracing new possibilities.
New Norms, New Possibilities
New norms not only give you a new perspective but also invite new possibilities. Sometimes as a wife and a mother, we tend to lose ourselves and forget what we love. We know what our husbands love we know what our kids want and need. But we forget about ourselves. We are always very selfless and forget to be selfish. Yes, I said selfish in a good way, just taking time for ourselves. When I first divorced, I thought, Oh God, I am starting over. He said you’re not starting over you are starting anew.
I began to do things I always wanted to do but always felt as if I never had the time or energy to do it. So, I began to make time and find the energy to do what I desired to do. I began to travel more and enjoy time with my friends. Discover new relationships and rekindle old ones, tried new restaurants and created a bucket list to tackle. I started a business with my one daughter and became a campaign manager for the other one.
The new possibilities brought joy to life and peace to my life.
In finding new possibilities, I began to learn new skills, accept my new way of living and rediscover who I was. I felt as if the many possibilities of life were producing my purpose.
New Norm, New Purpose
I began to realize in facing your new possibilities, you began to live your life on purpose and with purpose. Living life on purpose means I had every intention to enjoy life to the best of my ability. I had to tap into what I was passionate about to find my God-given purpose. I always say,
“Passion is a purpose pusher.”
This just means when you find your passion, you will fulfill your purpose. Every shift in life comes with a purpose. As I was going through my divorce, I began to journal, and my journal became a book and a blog. I found my purpose in encouraging women to don’t get stuck in the new norm. My message was that if you embrace the new possibilities that the new norm brings and see a new perspective on life, you will walk in your new God-giving purpose.
So, my sista friend!! Embrace your new norm, enjoy the new possibilities, see the new perspectives and walk in your new purpose! You will fall in love with the new you that the new norm produces.
By Erica Walton
Erica Walton is the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of Sarai Rose. Erica is also the Founder of Global Destiny Inc. In 2011, Global Destiny was awarded the Community Champion. She is an advocate for single mothers and the author of “Scenes From A Single Mother” Volumes 1 & 2 and the Discovering Inner Gems (D.I.G.) workbook. Erica holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Robert Morris University.
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