Some of us are finding it harder to get back out in the post-pandemic world. It has become commonplace to stay in the familiarity and safety of our homes and avoid the anxious feelings caused by stepping out of our comfort zones.  

The pandemic has restricted many of our regular IRL activities creating a huge impact on the social and emotional development of children and teens. A recent New York Times piece, shares information from a survey of 362 school counselors across the US, with one observation that stood out to me. “They have less stamina; more frustration; less flexibility; less effort; less perseverance; more escape and avoidance behaviors, Cassie Cerny, an elementary school counselor in Weston, Wis.” Cain Miller, Claire and Bianca Pallaro, May 29, 2022, nytimes.com. 

When faced with uncertainty, inaction can feel better in the short term. The comfort of staying home can be preferred to the anxious feelings of putting ourselves out in the world. However, we build confidence by tackling challenges and finding success. We can reduce anxiety over time by putting ourselves in manageable pressure situations. “It turns out that 85 percent of what subjects worried about never happened, and with the 15 percent that did happen, 79 percent of subjects discovered either they could handle the difficulty better than expected, or the difficulty taught them a lesson worth learning. This means that 97 percent of what you worry over is not much more than a fearful mind punishing you with exaggerations and misperceptions.” Goewey, Don Joseph, Dec. 6, 2017, huffpost.com.