Choosing a New Normal: How COVID-19 is causing us to shift our behaviors
Whether you’re a person who hates change or loves the adventure change brings, our current situation is forcing things to change.
When things were “normal”...
How often did you forget to grab breakfast when you flew out the door, rushed to sit in traffic on your commute?
Think about how many unnecessary meetings you sat through…
How many times did you stress over your ever-growing to-do list and check off task-by-task without feeling anything?
Think if you even stopped to consider what was really important?
What about the events, practices, family dinners, or simply the walks with the dog on a beautiful sunny day you missed because you were busy?
Think of how many times have you told yourself (or someone else) that you didn’t have time?
The beauty of it?
Our current situation is causing us to slow down from the regular hustle of our daily lives, allowing us to tune into what’s important.
Think about all the things you did on a daily basis.
Now ask yourself:
How many of the things you used to stress over are things you’re paying any attention to now?
A Collective Unique Experience
I’m listening and watching as so many people are experiencing such different situations.
Some people are suddenly out of work, falling in between spurts of inspired ideas and feelings of misidentity. Some people are finding ways to adapt work to a virtual realm while trying to entertain their kids. Some parents don’t get a break. Some workers don’t get a break. And some have more than they know what to do with.
Each of us having our own unique experience.
Yet, we are all in this experience together.
The Harvard Business Review (along with many others) has started the discussion on how many of the feelings we are experiencing during this uncertain time are similar to the stages of grief.
I couldn’t agree more.
Shock.
Denial.
Anger.
Bargaining.
Depression.
Testing.
Acceptance.
If you’ve experienced grief, you can probably recognize patterns of these in your own experience right now. If you haven’t or would like more information, here is a great article to help you.
If you’d like more resources on how to help your small business during this time, check out my recent blog post, My Mission to Thrive in Uncertainty.
Personally, I feel like I’m on a slow roller coaster, toggling with these stages…
Some days feel semi-normal -- I’m productive, I’m in my routine, working on my businesses, talking with clients, and I feel just fine.
Some days, I’m pissed off -- feeling like my upward momentum has come to a forced halt and I’m rolling backward.
Some days, I’m tired -- my energy is drained, I’m more sensitive, and I’m yearning for extra (self) care.
But like any experience with grief, we’ve just got to ride it out.
Together.
Shifting to A New Normal
Through this experience, you are shaping a new Normal.
While you may need time to process this, things aren’t just going to “go back to normal.”
Our focus has shifted.
Our priorities have shifted.
Our behaviors have shifted.
And because they have, ask yourself…
Do you even want that?
Yes, there is a lot of uncertainty right now. We don’t know what it will look like or how long it might take us to get there.
But the beauty is that this IS interrupting our idea of “normal” and giving us the time and space to change.
A New Perspective
Change, like grief, starts with the things you can control.
Change starts with you.
How do you want your life to look differently?
How do you want to feel each day?
What are the things that are important to you?
What makes you feel happy and fulfilled?
How will you adapt to this new normal?
What will you CHOOSE to be your new normal?
WHO will you choose to be in your new normal?
I encourage you… don’t take this lightly.
We may have been forced into change, but we get to choose how we shift in this experience.
Together.
If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you! Subscribe for the latest posts and resources or reach out to me.
If you know someone who needs to hear this, it would mean the world to me if you would share it with them!
