By Dr Lynette Van Der Merwe
There is no doubt that 2020 will be a year to remember.
A pandemic, national lockdown, social isolation, health risks, economic and academic disruption, and uncertainty, loss of control, fear, and panic due to information flooding are all ingredients in the perfect storm of the unprecedented “new normal”.
Due to Covid-19 we have become sensitised to the need to protect mental health and well-being among all members of society – not least, our caregivers. The plight of health-care workers in the front lines has focused our attention on the threat of burnout as a result of increased stress, as well as the risk of depression and anxiety disorders.
But do we need to stick to the prescribed script that dooms us to the global resignation of merely trying to survive? Is there an alternative response that uncovers unique strengths? Can we flip the narrative to resilience? In the destructive wake of this global crisis, we could instead focus on how we have become more agile and adaptable. We could notice the coping strategies of those who do not succumb to despair, victimhood, or expedience.
We could re-imagine a world in which the problems of the day do not define us; a world where we respond with intention, drawing on resilience forged in the fire of adversity, resolutely using our prior-established values to guide us.
Resilience helps us not merely to survive, but to recover, regroup, and reach new heights.
Research among students and staff in the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences has shown that higher resilience (and lower burnout) is associated with adaptive coping strategies. Strength and growth through hardship were foundational to dealing with endemic stress and inevitable personal, academic, and financial challenges.
So, what are some of the qualities, skills, or resources that help us bounce back and grow our resilience, resulting in the crisis of the day (aka Covid19 and its nasty sequelae) causing a (temporary) bruise, rather than a (permanent) tattoo?
Have hope. Far from blind, naive optimism, it is instead a sober realism about reality, balanced by finding strength in the belief that in the end, you will overcome (the Stockdale Paradox).
This ties closely with acceptance, allowing emotions a seat at the table of our lives, but not giving in to their attempts at a hostile take over. It happens when we choose to respond, rather than react, leaving space to be flexible enough to adjust our expectations from immediate gratification to the perseverance to sit out the discomfort.
Stay kind. In the face of extreme hardship, humans reveal the truth about themselves. Treating others with compassion, patience, and respect may not make the crisis disappear – but when we look back, are we not most inspired by those who have created meaning through extraordinary humility and sacrifice?
When all is said and done, what story would you like to tell about the kind of person you were during the pandemic?
This is a moment in history when we need to overcome our fear with the kind of courage that shows up even when legs shake, the voice trembles, and the heart palpitates.
When we look back on 2020, may we do so knowing that we continued hoping (even while accepting the tragic reality), that we stayed kind (creating meaning amid turmoil), and that we were brave.
We have much to offer if we allow our resilience to stand this test of time. May Covid-19 change us for the better.
Dr Lynette Van Der Merwe is an undergraduate medical programme director at the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of the Free State.
The Star