Never before has our generation experienced something as far reaching and crippling as we are experiencing right now in dealing with COVID-19. Finding meaning while trying to maintain some sense of normalcy on a daily basis has been a crazy ebb and flow of emotions. And, some days seem to flow better than others. I’m sure we’ve all experienced this over the past few weeks, trying to keep it all together when everything around us seems to be falling apart. And, at the very least, maintaining a sense of hope that all this will come to pass and we’ll be back to normal soon enough. Whatever normal means. In the meantime, we ask ourselves and each other to stay positive, stay safe, and focus on what is within our control.
It’s easy to suggest that we should simply “focus on what is within our control.” In practice however, this can be incredibly difficult if we do not possess a strong foundation to begin with. A foundation of confidence in one’s self. A foundation of resiliency and coping skills that have been honed and developed long before a global pandemic came along to put these skills to the test. A foundation of basic personal health and well being from a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual perspective. I get it. Taking that first step towards instilling a sense of calm and inner peace can be daunting. So, we default back to the comfort zones of social media, alcohol, or any other form of numbing agent to make the fear and anxiety and uncertainty go away. When just around the corner we know there is this crazy virus lurking, threatening our health and very existence, messing with our psyche, while we sit in isolation feeling completely powerless. This feeling of uneasiness is exacerbated by financial uncertainty, delayed celebrations and graduations, potential job loss, and this overarching feeling of life being put on hold. That’s a lot to come to terms with. But if this is to be the biggest wake-up call of our times, we cannot hit the snooze button on this one.
Asking yourself to focus on what is within your control requires some deep reflection. Naming your fears, recognizing them, acknowledging them, and allowing them to be real is the first step. This can only be done if we give time and space to these emotions. Our typical response is to go back to those numbing agents to avoid and disconnect. I’m as guilty of this as anyone.
I encourage you to simply stop. Take a deep breath and pause for a moment, and consider what is truly important to you. It is only then that you can truly move forward and navigate your way with a greater sense of self and purpose.
As we move through these emotions, it’s important to start acknowledging and embracing both who you are and where you are right now. By being honest with yourself, you will start to find clarity of identity and embrace the person you see in the mirror. It is only then that you can take that next step. And, that next step is to simply begin. Begin with intention. Begin with confidence and conviction. Begin by doing the things you know create a greater sense of wholeness and vitality for yourself. Begin by doing the things that serve your identity. Begin by doing the things that instil a greater sense of well being… a greater sense of true self-love. Start small and focus more on consistency of practice rather than mastery of whatever it is you are doing. This is how true change happens. This is how we build a foundation of habits that help us to develop and underpin resiliency. This is how we build a sense of self that we trust and love, coming from a place of authenticity and vulnerability. This is how we find calm and clarity in a time of chaos and uncertainty.
Joe Danis