2020 was hard.
If you’ve had space to reflect on the last 15 months, maybe you have wondered about the emotional ramifications of prolonged social distancing.
The United Health Foundation has discovered that, “…Two-thirds of U.S. adults report experiencing social isolation and more than half (66%) agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused their anxiety levels to increase, yet many are not turning to anyone for help.” (The Pandemic Effect: A Social Isolation Report, 2020)
One social expert is even calling this pandemic aftermath, “a loneliness epidemic.”
Where are you with all of this? Has the last year or so been lonely for you? Ironically, you wouldn’t be alone if this were true.
Your loneliness is telling you something—that you are not made for isolation. You have been designed to experience deeply connected relationships with God, self, and others.
As spring vaccination shots blossom into summer social gatherings, I implore you to take a risk. Would you be willing to identify one, two, or even three people with whom you would like to grow deeper?
Will you consider inviting them to dinner or coffee? And then, (here’s the risky part), pursue knowing and being known by them?
Here are some questions to help:
- What was hard about last year for you?
- What was great about last year for you?
- What are you most excited about this year?
- What is your greatest challenge this year?
- Do you mind if I share my responses to the same questions?
Unfortunately, many of life’s implosions and explosions happen because you have learned to dismiss your own heart. The dangerous thing about suppressing your loneliness is that it leads to a lack of concern or enthusiasm for relationships. If, however, you honor your loneliness, it is able to lead you to love and connection, where you will feel seen and known.
If you are in a season right now where you do not feel seen or known in relationships, I’d like you to consider our guided group process at Plumline. Plumline is an emotional and spiritual wellness company that offers guided groups and retreats to help you get unstuck and experience peace. Our alumni report a greater sense of connectedness with God, others, and self after completing our sophisticated process.
Plumline 1 is a weekly experience consisting of 12 sessions that is designed to restore and nourish your heart. The core of this process is based on Dr. Chip Dodd’s 8 core feelings as seen in his book Voice of the Heart. In Plumline 1, you will learn to identify the feelings true inside of you, and you will grow your capacity to honor them. Until you learn to do this for yourself, you will never honor others. A critical part of the Plumline 1 process is confronting lies that have emerged from your wounding experiences and worked their way into your operating system. These lies are robbing you of real connection and deep meaning in life. You will finish Plumline 1 with new emotional skill sets, relationship tools, and fresh truth to replace your core lies. Essentially, you will gain everything you need to care for your own heart through which you can experience lasting connection with God, others, and yourself.
The loneliness epidemic is real. Still, you can do the work of nourishing your heart so that you experience all that life has to offer you.
Love you and with you,
Jake