In times when people are losing work, closing businesses, and fearful about other changes concerning the Coronavirus, it is important that we protect ourselves, families, and communities by staying at home and washing our hands. However, we must also shift our perspective to the upside of this situation. These challenging times will leave us all and the world changed, but perhaps the result will be a better version of you, society, and/or the world.
Pivot Our Focus
As we have been forced to press pause on our travels, business plans, and in essence our lives, there is an overwhelming feeling of loss of control. Well, we can shelter in place, wash our hands, and pivot our focus. On this last point, I suggest that we all tap into the power of perspective. It is easy to do. You don’t have to go out and shop for it. You can even do it while social distancing and staying at home.
Look Up Mantra
To help you, there is a mantra that has proven to work. The Look Up mantra was created by me over a decade ago. Look Up was the product of a terrible accident that put a forced pause on my life, very much like the stay-at-home situation we find ourselves in. With very little control of any circumstance, we do have control over how we think, frame, or process. Look Up serves as a reminder to do two things: 1) Be in the moment and 2) Find the upside.
The Lesson
If this sounds too simple. Believe me, it works. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty around you and/or the hazards. Stop multi-tasking. Look up from your screen. Breathe. Then, find the spin, the bonus out of this situation. Could it be more time with your family or that you finally got to read all of the books that had been piled up on your nightstand? Look Up reinforces that every hurdle, hiccup, and/or wound over time becomes a lesson.
Weathering the Pandemic
In essence, we have to weather this pandemic as if it were a storm, hurricane, or massive snowfall, all of which stop normal life, close schools, and make travel difficult or impossible. We must heed the advice of epidemiologists and medical experts. We must learn from countries that are ahead of us. We must stay at home and wash our hands. But when the caca hits the fan and there’s no toilet paper in the store, we must not lose our sh**. Look Up at home, in the grocery store, and while taking a walk in your neighborhood while social distancing.
