Earlier in the week I was talking to my parents, who are in Ghana, and I was sharing with them some of my anxieties around the current situation with covid-19, social distancing despite being a real ‘people-person’, and keeping my children educated whilst continuing to work from home.
Their reaction was not of fear but of calm reflection. They have a strong belief in God and have a strong view around everything that happens being a message from God. You’ve probably also seen those memes going around about Mother Nature / The Universe sending us a message about how we’ve been treating the environment, and now being our chance to hit the ‘reset’ button.
In the conversations I’ve been having with my clients and peers, ideas keep coming up about how we can use this time to change offerings, be of greater service, and to recalibrate in our work.
All this has led me to really think about what I’m learning.
Time is precious
My 9 year old daughter has been making photo and video collages on Google. I sat with her to make one and as the memories from some of the pictures came flooding back, I realised how important it is to cherish the special times.
Quieten the noise
There have been a lot of people offering support in some fashion. This has been great, although I’ve noticed it has created a low but persistent hum in my head around making sure I am of service now and not missing out on being visible and being heard. The fact is, the best thing I can do for myself, my community and my business is to look inside and do what feels right, share in a way that feels right and recognise that is how I best help people. Finding inner peace and silence allows me to create a better output for others to receive.
There is so much to see around us that we missed in the day-to-day
Being forced to be at home has made me see the things I need to get done, but it’s also made me appreciate the home I have.
There is always a way
If someone had said to me a month ago that I would be at home with the children, helping them do schoolwork, working alongside my husband, whilst keeping my business going I would have laughed out loud – but here we are doing just that. Yes, I have had cancellations and my diary looks different than what it would have were we able to socialise as normal, but I am still working with clients, entrepreneurs and execs alongside all of the above.
Busy is not real
It’s interesting to see that many of the things filling my time that had to be done were not actually that important. Having to stop and re-think how I work has made me realise that everything will get done in its time. The feeling of busy and stress is actually not necessary. In fact, it’s not even ‘real’. We create it.
Find joy in the little things
As we’ve been blessed with some spring sunshine, I’ve been able to sit in the garden each day for a few uninterrupted minutes with a cup of tea. For a few minutes each day I’ve tuned out what ‘needs doing’ and just sat and enjoyed the moment.
Fear is self-perpetuating
The more you focus on the fear, the more scared you feel, and so the cycle continues. When I sit and think about all the things that worry me about Covid-19, I spiral deep into my imagination about everything that could go wrong. When I acknowledge that I have some fear but choose to focus on the things I can control, I feel a whole lot better.
Being resourceful is fun
As a Co-Active coach, understanding that our clients are Naturally Resourceful, Creative and Whole is one of the cornerstones of my work. I am now learning the true depth of my own resourcefulness and creativity as I rethink everything from family activities and meals to how I use my time.
Letting go is a gift
Who knew that we can actually choose to let things slide? I am a stickler for a tidy house and putting things back where they belong. At the best of times it drives me mad when people don’t adhere to my ‘rules’. Now imagine what being at home 24/7 with the whole family does to me …. My biggest gift to myself this week has been to LET IT GO! I’ve realised that things are only as significant as you make them, and I have been choosing to focus on what really matters.
You don’t always have to know
This has been a difficult one for me. I’ve clung to estimations around how long this thing will last, where we are on the curve etc.. and it’s dawned on me that I don’t ‘need’ to know. What I know is that my nearest and dearest are healthy, we are adhering to advice we deem trustworthy, and each day we will carry on with life as best we can and we will continue to do this with what we have available (which, quite frankly, is a lot).
There is a lot of good in the world, on the doorstep
It’s heart-warming to see people volunteering for the NHS and all the little acts of kindness people are sharing. I love the support I’m seeing on WhatsApp groups and the zoom chats. They are a reminder that I am never alone, there is always someone willing to help and people are good. A caveat -- I am clearly not alone as I have a husband and two children and a supportive family. But I’m looking at this as a citizen of the world and I am grateful that my ‘circle’ is vast as well as near.
We have a choice
I fully acknowledge that I have no control over what is happening in the world right now, nor the tangible effects it is having on my life. I DO know that now more than ever I have a choice as to how I react and deal with it. We do not need to feel powerless in these uncertain times, but powerFUL in how we choose to manage our lives and change our future as a result. We also get to choose how we want to ‘be’. I choose to be hopeful. I choose to take one day at a time, and I choose to make each moment matter.
I believe we can all learn something from wherever we stand right now. It’s up to us to notice this learning, it’s up to us to receive it as a gift and it’s up to us to decide what we do with it.