It is fascinating to watch how we deal with change, and how resilient we really are. In less than a week, many of the foundations that we take for granted have been rocked. Travel is out. Restaurants are closed. Work is disrupted. Jobs are at risk. Major sport is cancelled. Markets are down. Even St. Patty's Day celebrations are cancelled. And yet walking in the evening sunshine, talking with people in my neighbourhood I rarely see, there is this sense of resilience and we will get through this together (from a safe distance!).
And with the exception of those disappointing examples of people who are truly going over-board hoarding groceries and even reselling them for a profit, many people are rising up to the challenge we face. My wife's Neighbour Next Door app is full of people offering to help others in the neighbourhood who need it. People are 'getting' how critical it is that we slow down the spread as fast as possible and are determined to do their part. Considering all of the things that are uncertain and out of our control, one important action we can all take is to do our best to reduce our contact with others as much as possible and prevent being infected or infecting others.
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, it is important that through all of this we take care of our mental 'immunity'; that we keep our brain from taking the low road and going into an instinctual fear response. It would be so easy to go there given the uncertainty and anxiety.
Yet the high road, the one that sees us reach beyond our instinctual fear and anxiety, that pulls us toward our better self, is always available. As Viktor Fankl reminded us "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." What a monumental social experiment we are in and as we watch to see how we all choose!
Lean Into Gratitude
Of all the virtues to help keep you on the high road, lean into gratitude. Some would profess that it is the mother of all other virtues, though you could equally argue for love. At times like these, when jobs and lives are at risk, it may feel hard to find gratitude. But there is always so much we can be grateful for if we pause to reflect on it.
Think about the courage of the health care staff who show up everyday at the front lines of this crisis. Or the grocery store check-out clerks who deal with not just the threat of infection, but the threat of losing faith in humanity as they watch fear and hoarding roll through the store. Even in a crisis there is always more than a few things we can be grateful for and gratitude is one of the fastest ways to shift your brain out of 'fight or flight' (my survival) and back to clear, calm and connected (our collective wellbeing).
Be More Penguin
If we want an example of resilience and getting through difficulty, it is hard to imagine anything more resilient than the life of the Emperor penguin. Imagine caring for a single egg through months of darkness, -30C and winds up to 200 km/hr? This would be impossible if they didn't work together and take turns with their backs to the wind and cold.
Shift your focus to gratitude for the many amazing people taking care of those most in need. Shift your focus to how resilient humans can be when we really work together. And watch how your own brain settles down from 'fight or flight' and moves into your own version of "how can I help?" And in the meantime, go for a walk and say hi to your neighbours who you rarely see (from a safe distance!), saluting that they are doing the same!
I hope these ideas help you. Please share what you do that helps you stay strong, taking the high road and connected in difficult times. Together we will get through this.
I coach amazing people like you to delete the overwhelm, discern what matters most and drive your future. Schedule a FREE consultation with me HERE if you want to explore what life would be like for you with a more resilient brain and more masterful habits.