Life with Coronavirus. Welcome to our new, and hopefully temporary, reality men. I have some helpful ideas and suggestions to help us navigate through this time. Let’s take a look.
Acknowledge/Feel
First, allow yourself to acknowledge and feel whatever is coming up for you. Are you scared? Invite it to sit with you. Do you want to cry? Let the tears come. Is anger present? Find a place to roar out from your deep gut.
In a time of uncertainty it is important to acknowledge how we feel. Feelings are not good or bad, right or wrong. They just are. The more we can acknowledge the presence of a feeling, instead of suppressing or denying it, the more easily we can pass through it.
For instance, when I acknowledge my fear I have an opportunity to ask, “What do I think is going to happen?” It is in this place I can find facts, options, and alternatives to meet, mitigate, and change a belief that is causing me fear.
I can take action.
Be Present
Second, stay in the present moment. So often we “borrow” feelings that belong to an imagined future. Usually erring on the side of catastrophic imaginations, we can dwell in scenarios that most likely will never happen. How does that serve us?
Imaginations are not facts or events. If you and I have a choice to imagine a future, how can we create it so that it reflects positive outcomes, benefits, and blessings? Both future scenarios, one of doom and one of blessing, haven’t happened, so what benefit do we get focusing on the doom scenario?
If I choose to focus on the present, understand what I control and what I don’t, and take action where I can now, my future becomes more determined. The energy I have is greater to act in the present in ways I believe will help my future outcomes.
I change my focus to productive activities for me now.
Stay Connected
Our new paradigm of social distancing and isolation is not our norm. It can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and lonely. Still we can use technology to stay connected.
The irony of this isn’t lost on me here. As more and more people have engrossed themselves in social media, and forego looking and engaging at who is in the room with them, we might now use our electronic connections to actually engage in meaningful ways with those we can’t be in close proximity now.
We can choose to check in with each other via video chat, text, and email. Instead of a quick like and scroll to what is next in our feed we can pause and “check in” with that person. We can send a DM or other text message to ask questions, offer support, arrange for a video chat.
In this time of isolation we can still connect and share our concerns, our hopes, and show our support for each other. Whether we communicate in the same room or across the internet, being authentic, real, and honest in our connection with others provides a true and meaningful connection. Maybe this is what social media was truly intended to be.
I can reach out and be reached.
Be Encouraged
My encouragement for each of us is to acknowledge what is happening…how we are feeling about it. Be honest. Share it with someone you love and trust.
If you find yourself dwelling in an imagined future, shift your attention to something in the immediate space you are in…a pen, a chair, your hands. Get present with it and yourself in the moment. From this place of presence, choose to focus on what you are doing now, what you can do now, and not the imaginations of a negative future.
In a very strange way, an opportunity has presented itself for each of us to reach out and connect with people in meaningful ways in which we may not have done for a very long time. In your life who would that be today?
Call, video chat, text message. Now is the time men.
For additional support, I invite you to schedule a free 20 minute call with me to reset and refocus yourself. https://ToddTalk.as.me/CoronavirusReset
#coachmethoroughthis
You may also like to read the first part – “Small Steps # 1”.
Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/corona-virus-pandemic-disease-mask-4945391
