We endured a few years of tight COVID-related limitations. As COVID took hold, our lives changed substantially. We spent those years looking for silver linings and living in best possible ways. Now that the limitations to a large degree have waned, we are living in a post-COVID-limitation world, and as I live in this new world, I am noticing some changes.
Quality
What I once experienced as a high quality product or experience may no longer meet that definition. Some restaurants I relied on before have changed significantly. Their once high-quality foods and service have become less good and less reliable. Yet, I'm sure new restaurants have risen during this time. We have to take a new look at restaurants, shops, and services we relied on before COVID to see how they've changed--do they still equate to good quality or has their service, focus, capacity changed. I write this because twice in the past week, I spent good dollars to purchase food that was horrible--those places I relied on in the past during busy or celebratory times have changed significantly and are not worth the money I spent.
Food
During COVID I spent a lot of time cooking and baking. I learned a lot about quality foods and recipes. I've become a lot more discerning when it comes to buying and making good, healthy foods. I can notice when restaurants are shortchanging consumers with old produce and other ingredients that are cheap and unhealthy. I can often make a better meal at home than buying a meal out. I've also noticed that some frozen foods at good stores like Trader Joes are much better than the take-out foods you may buy. I've noticed that many take-out places have resorted to less quality ingredients and products.
Socializing
During COVID it was quite easy to get a group of friends together for a hike outdoors, but now that travel, social occasions, and working in the workplace have returned, it's a lot more difficult to find a time that meets everyone's schedule. Do we want to return to the rat race of life that existed pre-COVID or do we want to bring forward some the often-more-reasonable pace of life that COVID limitations created?
Driving
During COVID there wasn't much traffic which spelled a reduction in pollution and car accidents. Now the roads and airways are filled again. No one likes traffic, and few to none of us like the rude, too-fast way that many drive today. Are there ways we can reduce this post-COVID-limitations' reality?
The COVID limitations were tough and isolating. I don't think anyone wants to return to that limiting level of living, yet the pre-COVID world in many ways was an inhumane rat race. As I think about this, I'm wondering how we can strike a balance that spells good living. This balance won't be the same for everyone, but I do think it's time to rethink some of our individual and collective patterns of living in an effort to enrich and uplift our lives.