The corona virus isn’t the only enemy right now. Anxious minds and refusal to adapt can hinder us too, if we’re not exercising good mental discipline. 

When we consider the entire population and the statistics of who will either not get the virus, or who will get it but recover, we can acknowledge that chances are very low that we or our loved ones will perish during this pandemic. Some will die (too many for sure), but most of us will be okay. Internalizing this realization may help those who are drowning in worry about that aspect of this crisis.

 

What about the crashing economy and incomes that have evaporated overnight? It's true, many people are going to have to cut back and/or get financially creative right now, including myself. Speaking events are canceled and/or not being scheduled and 90% of my available art is behind locked retail doors. It's a great time to cultivate other ideas.

 

A reader posted in our FTG Reader's Group two weeks ago. She provides fitness classes to seniors so her business was shut down overnight. In doing video chats with friends, it dawned on her that she could offer her services via video. That's a perfect example of adaptability which can happen when worry and fear are not allowed to dominate our thoughts.

 

How can we all make good use of this indefinite season of uncertainty?

 

I have to repeat something I quote from Epictetus all the time when I’m speaking: “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” 

 

We have no control over what is going on globally right now and there’s a lot we cannot change about the resulting circumstances we’re facing.

 

We do have complete control over the thoughts we are allowing to flow through our minds. We have the option to censor and choose what information we are exposing ourselves to and how often. 

 

Our output will mirror our input so be wise! Please don’t let worry and unlimited media bingeing steal what you do have. 

 

Did you know the law of gravity was discovered during quarantine? Isaac Newton was a college student in his early twenties who was sent home from Cambridge University due to the Great Plague that swept through London from 1665-1666. He is one of the most famous scientists of all time and he thrived in isolation. It was the start of a career full of scientific discoveries.

 

The year 2020 could likely become one of the most creative times in history as a direct result of this pandemic and resulting quarantine. Why? Because, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” (From my research, this English proverb’s author is unknown but often misattributed to Plato.)

Will you be someone who acclimates to our new normal and thrives, or will you succumb to worry or boredom, just counting the days (weeks, months) until this crisis is over? 

Please know, I also have my share of fears and “stuckness” regarding this pandemic and other life challenges; I’m always talking to myself when I write.

 

But I won’t let myself stay down long. I am using the tools I’ve learned over the years to practice mental, emotional and spiritual warfare as often as needed to return my state of being to a peaceful, trusting place. 

 

We’re all going through the same thing, yet we will experience this pandemic at varying levels of acceptance and perspective. We’ll fall somewhere on a wide spectrum from one to ten with one being, “This is the worst thing I could ever imagine and I’m paralyzed with fear” and ten being, “I will thrive no matter what.”

 

The people at the upper end are exploring new hobbies, re-organizing, de-cluttering, educating themselves, getting fit, thinking outside the box and asking, “What have I always wanted to do, that I now have time to do?” 

 

Today’s daily meditation in “Finding the Gift” references resurrection and time in the hallway. Our time in the hallway—the in-between times of life—can teach us a lot about ourselves. We’ll discover clarity we were unable to discern in busier times. We grow in the hallway and set the stage for the future.

It feels like we’re all in the hallway at the moment. We don’t know which door will open next or when, now that several familiar doors have closed. How will we use this downtime? The answer to that could change the rest of our lives … for the better.

 

Emotional growth, artistic talent, online marketing ... where will you grow and thrive NOW? Maybe mastering self-care while in the hallway is what will yield a much more fruitful life going forward?

 

I don’t know what you need to explore most right now and what you’re capable of becoming, but you do (whether you realize it or not). 

If you feel lacking in direction, then start exploring. My 10-module, twelve-week coaching program, A Life Worth Having, is a perfect tool for those who want or need to forge a new path. There are also countless books, podcasts and articles available to nurture your next steps in these uncertain times. Just start looking!

We can ride out the storm or we can ride the storm. 

 

We can’t avoid our new reality, but how we respond to this crisis will determine how smooth our ride will be. 

 

What gifts could life be bringing you right now?

 

Consider what William Arthur Ward said, “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” 

 

I hope we each find a way to sail on and discover new territory. The biggest gift of our lives could be wrapped up in what appears to be a huge interruption. Dear God, please open our eyes to the gifts.

 

Can you relate, or do you have something to add? I would love to hear from you! Please visit our FTG  Reader's Group and leave a comment in the post on this topic. Your voice is important and you may help someone else by sharing your comment.