Do you feel like your world has shrunk in the past year?

I know mine did.

We marked the coronavirus pandemic’s first anniversary, and we didn’t all link arms and sing “Auld Lang Syne”…

But I bet we all did some soul-searching.

I know I gave a great deal of thought to the different perspectives I lost during isolation and lockdown. And it’s occurred to me that I didn’t necessarily have to lose that diversity of ideas and opinions, even though I wasn’t touring different cities and speaking to diverse audiences.

I had, unintentionally, allowed my echo chamber to shrink…and I’m making a conscious effort to expand it again.

How critical are different perspectives?

It’s a natural tendency during times of extreme stress – like a pandemic – to narrow our focus to the familiar. We seek people and activities that give us a sense of security and permanence when so much is up in the air – our livelihoods, health, and communities’ cohesion.

But there’s a danger in seeking the well-beaten path of pre-existing knowledge. You stop growing.

It didn’t hit me until my third or fourth conversation with my uncle…part of a ritual I began during lockdown that opened my eyes to just how small my world had become.

I have two uncles. One is “colorful”…the other joined the Navy the year before I was born and retired while serving in the Peace Corps. We barely knew one another pre-COVID.

Before March 2020, I traveled all across the country speaking, and I’d always swing by his place for a barbecue and a place to sleep. I considered it more of a wellness check than a social visit – a brief check-in to ensure all was well.

When lockdown began, I resolved to have a Zoom chat with him every Friday at 2:00 pm, no matter what. I’ll confess, some days, Friday rolls around, and there are many things I’d instead do than hit Zoom one more time. 

But I always follow through on my commitments, so I show up, and so does he. The odd time we find ourselves on the phone or Facetime, but we always take the time for each other.

The first few visits were awkward – we knew so little about one another.

Over time, though, I realized what a gift it was to talk to someone who lived outside my little echo chamber.

My Uncle and I share similar politics and belief systems, but we have different perspectives. He lives alone with two bossy cats in a state with few pandemic restrictions. I live with my husband and two dogs in a state with strict mandates around public gatherings and masks.

His lived experience, day-to-day, is utterly different from mine. He gets videos, emails, newspapers – opinions – from people who wouldn’t ordinarily be in my echo chamber.

Talking – and listening – to him pulls me out of the familiar and opens me up to a broader world.

How are you encouraging growth during isolation?

“Grow?!” you exclaim.

“I’m just trying to survive!”

Yes, I hear you if that’s what you’re thinking. But it’s possible to expand the size of your echo chamber, even during lockdown.

Consider how important it is to maintain a broader perspective during times of isolation. If you happen to be among the privileged, you probably haven’t felt marginalized. The rights you’ve lost are the same ones everyone else lost, as well. 

Now, think about people who were already marginalized. Has their isolation magnified their situation? Without the freedom to participate in rallies, seminars, attend speeches, share ideas and educate others, how are they getting their social justice message across?

It’s up to us. We have to seek opportunities to see issues from someone else’s perspective since we’re not mingling on school campuses, in offices, at community events…even in the grocery store.

Masks have muted dialogue, but that doesn’t mean we can stop talking or listening to others. We just have to be more creative.

Examine your tendencies…and adjust accordingly

In the coming months, I ask of you to assess how you can gain insight from those who are different from you. How are you tapping into different perspectives? And what are you losing if you don’t make an effort?

Every time I come up with a new workout regime, I do well for a bit, and then usually a minor injury happens, and the next thing I know, it has been four years, and I’ve abandoned that good habit.  

Don’t let coronavirus be the shin splints that derail your ability to listen and learn from others. The practice of listening and learning will help us question our sources and beliefs.  

This questioning process is vital because if your beliefs survive your questioning process, you will further believe in them. If they don’t, then you can reflect, learn, evolve, grow.  

I am lucky to have gained a real friend during this strange time. My uncle is an excellent source of wisdom and gives me fresh eyes on life outside my bubble. Find your “uncle” and engage him or her in a dialogue that will keep your eyes fresh, your ears tuned, and your mind sharp.

If you’re trying to keep your team tuned in, check out my virtual experiences. Social justice doesn’t have to go on the back burner just because we’re all stuck in our corners. You can create cohesion and advance your cause through meaningful, guided dialogue.

Contact me, and we’ll get the conversation started.