I saw something the other day that made me think long and hard about what this time of COVID-19 is offering us all. Namely, a chance to slow down and re-examine what we want our lives to look like and who we want to be on the other side of this. Perhaps the world has slowed so we can rediscover who we are and who we want to be.

I have been working with several clients in recent weeks who have been furloughed because of the pandemic and have found that without their work, they really are not sure who they are. Their work has become who they are and now, without that, they are not sure who they are. So many of us identify ourselves by our jobs and without that come to question who we are. But we are so much more than what we do for a living. I have asked each of these folks to describe themselves for me and each has come up with words such as kind, caring, compassionate, thoughtful, loyal and smart. None of my clients have actually described themselves by what they do for a living.

Perhaps by describing themselves with adjectives such as kind, caring, compassionate, thoughtful, loyal and smart, they can get a better idea of who they really are and who they want to be. Perhaps they want to be more of these things. Perhaps this time of COVID-19 is allowing them to be more of these things.

So many of the people I am working with feel they have lost themselves since the pandemic started. I wonder if, in fact, they are rediscovering who they are before work took over their lives. I wonder if, in fact, they are finding themselves to be more of who they really are. Or, perhaps they are learning who they want to be.

We can use this time of uncertainty to really examine our lives and ourselves and I encourage my clients to do just that. Perhaps now more than ever we can take the time to think about what really matters to us, who really matters to us. Perhaps now more than ever we can take the time to think about what really is important to us, what makes our lives better and what we can rid ourselves of.

What are you learning about yourself during this time of uncertainty? Have you found yourself reaching out to some people more than others? Have you found yourself distancing yourself from people who you no longer enjoy? Have you found yourself participating in activities you might not have had time for before the pandemic? Have you found yourself employing new coping skills to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety? Have you found yourself more resilient that perhaps you thought you were? What is this time of COVID-19 teaching you about yourself?

Many of us may feel that if we are not working, we need to busy ourselves with tasks and projects in order to stay productive. But there is nothing wrong with taking time to just be. After all, we are human beings not human doings. What I am finding with my clients, and indeed about myself, is that this time of uncertainty is teaching people who and what is important in their lives. What is important to you? I think this time can allow us to slow down and reconsider what really matters to us, if we allow it to do so.

What can you do with this time of uncertainty? Can you allow yourself to take the time to learn about yourself, to determine who you are and who you want to be when this is over? Can you allow yourself to just be?