Engaging with Society – Revisiting a Lost Art
The past five years have been a roller coaster of sorts for many.
Life has been fairly inconsistent to say the least and finding our stride again in the face of the return to normal can definitely be a struggle.
We went through a period of time where not only was being a social recluse a ‘thing’, it was literally applauded and ultimately recommended if not mandated by our governing bodies.
A lot of us took the opportunity to thrive in this sloth like world where doing as much as you could without leaving your house was the ultimate goal.
Everything turned virtual, from grocery shopping, to work, to even our social lives.
Some of us only got ready from the waist up while living the vast majority of our days in pajama bottoms and shorts, fully embracing this hibernation lifestyle.
Now that we find ourselves fully immersed in the public eye once again, we’re in some ways finding we need to relearn our social etiquettes and sometimes even the boundaries of what we say yes or no too.
For a time there were no options on social adventures so to find ourselves faced with a relatively newfound abundance, saying no can seem like a monumental task at times.
Sometimes we feel like saying yes more than no in a bid to make up for the time we somewhat feel has been lost.
The amount of social time and being in the face of the public eye will certainly vary from person to person.
Ultimately only we ourselves truly know what we can handle and what is our limit on how much we engage.
One thing is probably fair to say however and that is that we’ve found that as much as we do value time with others – we also value time spent on ourselves and even alone with our own thoughts.
Finding a balance between the two can be a fairly tricky thing.
For those that have continued working in a virtual environment and remain remote employees – the inter office dynamics and social structure has been completely removed and we may be more inclined to fulfill these social gaps by engaging more in our personal lives.
While those of us remained on the front lines or have gone back to work, may find that there is still a very large desire to spend more time at home if possible.
There ultimately is no right or wrong answer.
Each individual will have different goals and needs.
However with that said, it is still very important to prioritize some time spent socializing with others.
We all at times need to interact and engage with others – especially people we don’t know.
As much as the world has changed so that we are able to do more from our couch, it doesn’t excuse a lack of social etiquette.
The more often we can practice being decent human beings, not only to ourselves – but to others – is just as important as ensuring we’re also ensuring our own mental well being is looked after.
Arguable the two things go hand in hand – the kinder we can be to ourselves, the more likely we’ll take time to project that kind energy onto others.
While at the same time when we focus on helping those around us, we’re surrounding ourselves with that same positive energy to ensure we’re helping ourselves also.
With the world becoming much more service based and throwing more and more people in a front line customer service environment more than ever – being kind, courteous, and positive – should be a basic bare minimum.
We’re all going to have our days.
We’re all going to have our moments.
But the more time we can spend with that positive energy, the easier and lighter the world will seem for ourselves and those around us.
Negativity once travelled almost faster than the speed of light.
Now imagine if we redirected that energy into kindness and positivity – just how fast we can make the world a brighter place.
And with the world seemingly facing one crisis after another, happiness and light are the things needed most.
Let us redirect our energy and focus on the positive.
Help those around us that need us when we can, and in the very least – smile if thats all we can afford to give.
After all, smiles are contagious, and free to give – and you never know if one day your smile could help brighten someone else’s day.
Guest Blogger Rayna Davies
Rayna is the Office Manager at Sentinel Security, as well as the main blog contributor.
With foundations firmly routed in Business administration, Customer Service, and Management, she brings years of experience to her roles both within the Sentinel office, and the blog.
Having grown up with a father who has developed an expertise in Physical Security and Executive Protection in the RCMP and two major corporations, she has personally observed and experienced many security details. These experiences have included personally meeting HM Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and many celebrities.
Her passions include spending time with her husband and two young children, world travel, reading, writing, and pushing herself to always look for the silver lining.
