Speaking of Engagements - Up Yours!

"Listen Up!" As our coaches, teachers, and even parent were inclined to exclaim, whenever it was an acutely important time for us to, well, listen...to make sure we "got it!" in response...thought it timely here to make sure you are paying full attention, after so many posts on this same sub-topic of engagements, that you may be tiring, becoming bored, even disinterested...tempted to even disengage...indulge me just a little longer here, as I preface the promised specific strategies for enhancing the ways in which you engage, how you approach, sustain, and depart from various functions, both those you have been looking forward to for months, as well as those you just as soon avoid, perhaps dreading for the same months...a pause as we all find ourselves globally and locally in a state of transitions, especially back to work and school after summer vaca's (staycations?), at least after a national pause called Labor Day...it's instructional before walking forward to take a brief walk back in time, to the beginning of this pandemic period, especially the months in whatever region you reside in where the weather is more genial, inviting for outdoor activities, in the form of...

"I know what you did (or didn't do) last summer": So, did you max out your engagements X 3? That is, in the survey of the three main types of engagements that pretty much cover every area of daily living, those that offer enrichment to well-being, those that as a psychologist I survey with parents of all age children, individual adults, and caregivers of older, dependent adults. Are you getting the most out of each day in the form of mental, physical, and social opportunities, engagements? As in...

Mental: Early on, as many of us experienced changes in our schedules and formats of engagements (i.e., more virtually in most cases), many of you expressed to me the intent to take full advantage..."I'm gonna catch up on some reading...great opportunity to try out some new recipes, go on Pinterest, take up a new hobby while I'm home..." how many actually did? So many started out with great intentions but, as their sleep/wake cycles altered a bit, so did their mental acuity, their desire to sustain their intents here. But, it's definitely not too late, especially if you regret not taking full advantage as, even if things are getting more hectic for you, or in the case of another unforeseen period of quarantine, there is never a lack of supply on the net of free courses and other opportunities for 'mind bending' exercises...no excuses, no more regrets...

Physical: I started writing to you and have now done so here umpteen times since the pandemic evolved ("how many times do I have to tell you?!" echoes our coaches, parents, others trying to induce motivation), about the almost unlimited options to engage physically even under CV conditions (e.g., Aug 3, 2020- "Pandemic Playgrounds"), how people who have found themselves in highly confined conditions either due to restricted space or due to a physical challenge, have managed to find ways to continue to engage physically, maintain fitness, get stronger. No excuses, plenty of excuses...time to "Just Do It!" (again)...

Social: In the presence of a multitude of factors limiting direct, up close and personal social interactions throughout the past year or so, chief among them being 'social' (in actuality physical) distancing. But in the age of Facetime, Zoom, Google Meet, etc, there is an almost corresponding number of reasons to not stay apart. Aside from these, we have never lost (except in the case of temp. loss of power and/or Wi-Fi) the ability (perhaps the will) to send an email, text, or even a hand written note, showing others we were thinking of them, especially those who might be isolated even in non-CV conditions...one of the most powerful love languages...no excuses, no lack of resources here, still a target rich environment...

So, before I talk to you once more here about ways to improve how you engage, I'll say it one more time: "Up Yours!"