Right now?
Yes.
Right now, right now?
Yes, yes.
Never have I been so preoccupied with something that’s so utterly out of my control. Everything about this pandemic is unprecedented, starting with… it’s a pandemic.
And it’s bad. Very bad.
Most (not all*) of us have never experienced anything as wide-reaching, menacing, and disruptive as this (*I see you, Greatest Gen). Plus, it’s a novel coronavirus, meaning we, the global we, have no idea what to do.
It’s frightening. Infuriating. Confusing. Sad. Engrossing.
So, I ask myself: What can I do right now?
First, I acknowledge the whole range of this experience. I see it. I feel it. I breathe in this experience. Then I breathe it back out. I dig deep to find ways to honor it.
My next step: Slow the heck down. This is my cue to be more in the moment than ever. Information and major shifts in our lives are coming at lightning speed. All we can control is how we receive it. Which leads me to…
Step 3: Limit screen time. Check in less, not more, than I was before COVID-19. Headlines are intentionally provocative. Personal anecdotes are often despairing. Experts and leaders can only provide us with so much (see novel coronavirus above). Checking my feeds every 10 seconds isn’t going to change what’s happening, or make me feel any better. So, what will…?
Step 4: Take care of myself. Keep a relatively normal routine. Don’t fall into unhealthy patterns just because my day-to-day is upended. At the same time, that doesn’t mean I can’t occasionally do something frivolous or indulgent. I find salad to be nourishing, but it sure as hell isn’t always comforting. Yoga saves my life everyday, but relaxing in my living room with my spouse, our cat, and mindless entertainment is just as needed. Also needed…
Step 5: Take care of others, which is not easy right now. Either social distancing makes it hard, or upsetting interactions with ourselves and others does. Yet, I still need to send compassion out into the world. Even to the haters– especially to the haters. Their inner dialogue must be brutal, and I can multitask. I can ignore them AND send compassion their way– at the same time. This is one of my unique skills, and I have many. That’s why right now is a good time to…
Step 6: Count my blessings. So far I’ve counted 10, and I know there are many more.
Step 7: Capitalize. Be proactive. Know what I was complaining about earlier this month? Not having enough time in the day. Know what I have lots of now? Time. I’m gonna get creative, get back in touch with my best self, connect meaningfully with friends and family, brainstorm new ways to make money, and get some projects done around the house. If I’m truly honest, I’m a little excited about this part.
Step 8: Ask myself again, “What can I do right now?”
Step 9: Answer myself again, “Post this blog.”
Step 10: Repeat steps 1-9.