Resilient?
By Lydia Fairchok
Whoa.
T
he world has changed a lot in a short time. As I write this, the United States is locking down state-by-state in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has managed to affect each and every one of us in some manner worldwide. Other countries, including Italy and Spain, are desperately trying to cope with their overwhelming caseloads. My state issued an extended shelter-in-place order three weeks ago. All non-essential businesses have been ordered to cease, travel restrictions are in place, and gatherings of ten or more persons are unlawful. Even before such mandated measures were officially implemented, teaching had already stuttered to a halt due to social distancing concerns and voluntary barn closures. Some of my students—and my own family—await news daily about friends and relatives who are being treated for COVID-19. My heart goes out to each of you who have already been affected as this unfolds, and I sincerely hope that by the time this article goes to press things are loosening up, successful treatments are underway, and the worst aspects of the pandemic are behind us.
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Summer 2020 | Riding Instructor
But like it or not, certain ramifications of this event are here to stay, at least for a while. You or your loved ones may have been personally impacted by loss of friends, family or health. You have had to suspend lessons and forego competitions and the lapse of income is still being felt. Others in your supply chain of necessary goods have been affected, leading to higher costs or availability issues. Your clients are dealing with their own emotional or economic fallouts. Like every event of global magnitude, things don’t just go back to normal right away. Resilience is a hot-button word in discussions about burnout, self-care, and mental health. Its relevance skyrockets at a time like this. The Oxford dictionary describes this critical element as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties” and “the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape”. I am reminded of a rubber band that has had its elasticity tested by a particularly long and arduous stretch.
