Get Growing! Tools and Strategies for Living, Working and Relating Well
The COVID-19 Challenge, Part III: The Legacy
June 1, 2020
Recently, an acquaintance told me that she’s getting tired of the barrage of social media and You Tube posts designed to make us feel better in the wake of COVID-19. Family karaoke, pets and kids antics, even the 'feel good' stories on local and national news are starting to get to her. She is not by nature a Grinch, but I think I understand where she’s coming from. While the numerous ways in which people are creatively making the best of a bad situation are uplifting, we’re getting weary. We just want things to get back to normal.
Many of these media pieces are entertaining and heartwarming, yet they are a constant reminder that while we’re all in this together, we’re still not out of the woods. So how do we keep on keepin’ on, with more miles ahead than in the rear-view mirror? Start by having faith, and I don’t mean from a religious or spiritual perspective, rather faith in our ability to access the wherewithal and stamina that each of us possess, not only to survive, but to thrive.
Humans are highly adaptable creatures. We’re hard-wired for change. Without this ability, we would not exist. To some extent, all of us have gotten used to a new way of being in response to COVID-19. In our household, my husband, son and I have each fallen into our own daily rhythm and routine of work and down-time. It’s taken some trial and error, but we’ve adapted.
We're all being called upon to take it one day at a time while keeping an eye on the horizon in anticipation of what lies ahead. To navigate this unique and challenging situation that is unlike any other in our lifetime. While we can’t control this pandemic, we can decide what we want this chapter of our lives to look like and then make choices and take actions that support our vision. In this way, each of us is creating our own COVID-19 legacy.
Now is the time to think about how you want your COVID-19 experience to be remembered. Years from now when a young person asks what it was like to live through a pandemic, what will you tell him or her? What kind of legacy will you leave? As you look back over the last several months, ask yourself...
Have I chosen optimism over pessimism most of the time?
Have I focused on what I can do rather than what I can't do?
Have I remained grateful for all that is good and right in my life?
Have I been open to taking risks and doing things differently?
Have I treated my Stay-at-Home mates with kindness and respect?
What am I most proud of re: how I have handled this situation thus far?
What am I least proud of re: how I have handled this situation thus far?
Now reflect. Acknowledge yourself for what you are doing well and keep it up. Then focus on what needs to be changed. Start with the squeakiest wheel and take action steps to correct it. By taking positive action now, you are revising your COVID-19 legacy. The story is still unfolding. The script is still being written. You have plenty of time to choose a different ending.
Remember, you get to decide if and how your life will be defined by this experience. Will COVID-19 be the reason things went south or will it be the reason you stepped up and overcame adversity? Will you come out of this battered and bruised or stronger than before? Worry and fear do not have to set the tone for this chapter of your life...unless you let it.
Things are changing rapidly. Restrictions are already lifting, presenting new challenges as you take those tentative first steps toward normalcy. You will be forever changed by this, but as you look back, what do you want to remember about who you were?
Want to learn more about creating your own life legacy? Check this out!
"The best way out is always through" ~ Helen Keller
If you know of anyone who might find this newsletter of interest, please feel free to pass it along ~
The COVID-19 Challenge, Part III: The Legacy
June 1, 2020
Recently, an acquaintance told me that she’s getting tired of the barrage of social media and You Tube posts designed to make us feel better in the wake of COVID-19. Family karaoke, pets and kids antics, even the 'feel good' stories on local and national news are starting to get to her. She is not by nature a Grinch, but I think I understand where she’s coming from. While the numerous ways in which people are creatively making the best of a bad situation are uplifting, we’re getting weary. We just want things to get back to normal.
Many of these media pieces are entertaining and heartwarming, yet they are a constant reminder that while we’re all in this together, we’re still not out of the woods. So how do we keep on keepin’ on, with more miles ahead than in the rear-view mirror? Start by having faith, and I don’t mean from a religious or spiritual perspective, rather faith in our ability to access the wherewithal and stamina that each of us possess, not only to survive, but to thrive.
Humans are highly adaptable creatures. We’re hard-wired for change. Without this ability, we would not exist. To some extent, all of us have gotten used to a new way of being in response to COVID-19. In our household, my husband, son and I have each fallen into our own daily rhythm and routine of work and down-time. It’s taken some trial and error, but we’ve adapted.
We're all being called upon to take it one day at a time while keeping an eye on the horizon in anticipation of what lies ahead. To navigate this unique and challenging situation that is unlike any other in our lifetime. While we can’t control this pandemic, we can decide what we want this chapter of our lives to look like and then make choices and take actions that support our vision. In this way, each of us is creating our own COVID-19 legacy.
Now is the time to think about how you want your COVID-19 experience to be remembered. Years from now when a young person asks what it was like to live through a pandemic, what will you tell him or her? What kind of legacy will you leave? As you look back over the last several months, ask yourself...
Have I chosen optimism over pessimism most of the time?
Have I focused on what I can do rather than what I can't do?
Have I remained grateful for all that is good and right in my life?
Have I been open to taking risks and doing things differently?
Have I treated my Stay-at-Home mates with kindness and respect?
What am I most proud of re: how I have handled this situation thus far?
What am I least proud of re: how I have handled this situation thus far?
Now reflect. Acknowledge yourself for what you are doing well and keep it up. Then focus on what needs to be changed. Start with the squeakiest wheel and take action steps to correct it. By taking positive action now, you are revising your COVID-19 legacy. The story is still unfolding. The script is still being written. You have plenty of time to choose a different ending.
Remember, you get to decide if and how your life will be defined by this experience. Will COVID-19 be the reason things went south or will it be the reason you stepped up and overcame adversity? Will you come out of this battered and bruised or stronger than before? Worry and fear do not have to set the tone for this chapter of your life...unless you let it.
Things are changing rapidly. Restrictions are already lifting, presenting new challenges as you take those tentative first steps toward normalcy. You will be forever changed by this, but as you look back, what do you want to remember about who you were?
Want to learn more about creating your own life legacy? Check this out!
"The best way out is always through" ~ Helen Keller
If you know of anyone who might find this newsletter of interest, please feel free to pass it along ~
