Managing Anxiety and Fear Part 2: Staying Social While Social Distancing

This post is Part 2 in my 3-part series on Managing Anxiety and Fear When Life is Crazy – Staying social while social distancing.

In Part 1, we talked about giving yourself permission to feel all the feels.

Strategy #2: Practice physical distancing, not social distancing.

The idea of “social distancing” is now as much a part of our everyday lives as gravity. However, I think it’s mis-named. I’ve read a lot of discussions recently about how it should be called “physical distancing” rather than “social distancing.”

I agree. Humans are social beings. We’re designed for connection, and we need it now more than ever.

Read that again.

Social connections are now more important than ever.

While it’s true that we can’t GO many places these days, we can still connect with others.

I love that many yoga studios, fitness centers, and other venues have begun live-streaming their classes so people can stay connected.

My ballroom dance studio live streams classes a few times a week. Not only do we get to see and hear from our instructors, but we also chat with one another through the comment thread.

It’s not the same as face-to-face interaction, but it’s better than nothing.

When you’re battling anxiety and fear in uncertain times, it helps to maintain a sense of normalcy as much as possible.

Practical ways to stay connected

We have more ways to stay connected than ever before in our history.

Here are some ways we can practice physical social distancing while still maintaining the social, connected parts of our lives:

• Facetime
• Skype
• Zoom
• Messenger
• Texts
• Emails
• Good, old fashioned phone calls

One of my best friends made a commitment to call each of her besties daily to check in. Sometimes our conversations are short; sometimes they’re long. But they’re always meaningful and appreciated. I always look forward to her call.

How can you stay connected to others during this time? WHO can you stay connected with during this time? Think about people who may need encouragement AND people who will encourage YOU. You never know what an impact it can have on someone else – or yourself.

Be open about what you think and feel. Remember that it’s OK to feel all the feels – and to be honest about them. Authenticity builds trust and connection. And it gives others permission to be honest and authentic themselves.

In case you missed it, here’s Part 1 of the Managing Anxiety and Fear When Life if Crazy series: Feel All the Feels

Also read Part 3: Slowing Down.