what are we supposed to do with ourselves?
There we were, living life at 120 miles an hour – everyday going by faster and faster as technology created a life of fitting as many tasks as we could in a day, processing more information than our brains are capable of handling, and all the while, not realizing that we were - in all actuality – well – missing out on life. Then – with the stroke of a pen – we were all sent home. In those first few weeks of the shutdown we were paralyzed with fear and anxiety of what the unknown future holds, both the immediate and the long term. After a few short weeks something began to happen. After the adjustment period of having to slow WAY down – we begin to process feelings, needs, wants, goals, possibilities…
connectivity to family
Confined to a home base, people had a chance to reflect on their values and their purpose in life - those things that really mattered most to them. Life priorities began to change. For some people, multi generations were now living together. Some family members took care of children while others worked from their desks in their bedrooms to bring in the income. Dining rooms were turned into classrooms. In the evening family dinners of the 1950s remerged. Life was chaotic but Americans were used to that. It was the heartwarming connectivity to family that began to bring self-reflection - a shift in core values was motivating change.
“Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed how much more life she had time for.” - unknown
a shift in core values
Confined to a home base, suddenly some people have more time on their hands and they look for ways to fill that time. Smart technology and the Internet were there to educate them in starting new hobbies or businesses or just to further their knowledge in some particular subject. It also provided entertainment and connectivity to friends and family or a way to meet new people. It was having the ability to manage their own time and explore new interests that began to bring self-reflection. A shift in core values was motivating change.
we began to discover
What is emerging from this massive disruption, is that we began to discover sources of strength including;
1. finding a sense of community
2. closeness
3. gratitude
4. belief that the pandemic may spur positive societal change
the focus is on life balance and purpose
We prove once again, that we can come out of disaster better versions of ourselves. It means that the out of control life we were living, at dangerous speeds faster and faster than we could safely accommodate, slowed way down. It gave us a chance to breathe and assess who we are as an individual, as a family member, as a member of our community, and as a culture.
“Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself.” – Jessye Norman
let's go forward with kindness
We go forward with many of the same problems, issues, and challenges that we had before the shut down but we have a different perspective. We are in a better position to know what we want, stand up for what we want, and stay strong in fighting for our dreams and goals. I believe the changes can be for the good but I also believe that while we fight for our wants and needs, we must do it with kindness, patience, understanding, and empathy. We must not let the challenges grow our hearts cold with fight or determination. There is room for negotiation. There is room for compromise. We can be happy - together - and thrive by helping each other succeed.slowing down and
Many years my friend, many years....