ORLANDO, Fla. — Spark resilience and mental wellness during the COVID-19 lockdown with 21 questions that connect at a deeper level than just asking, “How are you doing?”
When you talk through things you always get through them better.
These questions require more disclosure as you get closer to the bottom, so start at the top and encourage others to share what was meaningful, or frustrating about the lockdown.
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Build emotional strength and resilience by asking:
1. What are you doing to practice self-care and personal wellness today?
2. What benefits have you seen during this shut down? (example: more family time)
3. Besides toilet paper what items do you wish you had stocked up on?
4. Where do you want to go first when the shelter-in-place order is lifted?
5. What books or online magazines have you been reading during the shutdown?
6. What streaming services have you used most? (examples: Netflix, Hulu, Sling, AppleTV, Amazon Prime or Disney+)
7. How have you simplified your life during the lock down?
8. What habits have you been able to break during the extra time at home?
9. Have you picked up any bad habits during quarantine?
10. When you can safely attend public events after the lock down where will they be?
11. What parts of the shelter-in-place order have been the easiest to apply?
12. What parts of quarantine life will you keep in place after the lock down is lifted?
13. What do you miss most about life before COVID-19?
14. Which family member have you missed seeing the most during quarantine?
15. What act of kindness has impressed you the most?
16. What have you discovered you can live without?
17. What has been hardest for you while sheltering in place? (example isolation)
18. Where do you find hope to keep going through this time of lockdown?
19. What do you hope to remember about this time of global shutdown?
20. How has the COVID-19 shelter-in-place process changed you?
21. What topics are the hardest to talk about as the lockdown is ending? (examples: financial fears, substance abuse or abusive relationships)
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Consider sharing a few of your own answers to spark conversations with your family and friends as you model the value of open conversation about COVID-19.
Story is a powerful force to build morale and courage for everyone.
When you open conversations, it helps each person feel less stress and stay more engaged in the relationship.
Read: Suffering alone from COVID-19 stress? Acceptance may be the solution
COVID-19 recovery will be challenging for some, but to those who keep open lines of communication, their relationship will improve.
Crisis can create connection, so start a conversation that may help someone find the strength to move on.
Dwight Bain is a nationally certified counselor and an Orlando native. He writes about managing crisis to create positive change.
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