(Disclaimer: I chose this title because I love double meanings, aka: puns, not because I want people to disobey the law!! Please read on and be encouraged…not angry. Thank you!!)
Henry Cloud, author and speaker and owner/operator of boundaries.me shared this quote:
“Take charge of the things you can control, and don’t worry about the things you can’t.”
I could end the blog here because it sums up what each of us needs to do during this time of quarantine amidst a pandemic. But I won’t…I have more to say!!
“It is scary…I’m not sure how it will turn out…a thousand ‘what if’s’ that might go unanswered…how do I NOT worry about the things that are out of my control you ask?
Simple answer…” worrying won’t add another minute or day to your life…it will steal, kill and destroy you from the inside out!!”. Yet it is not lost on me that nothing about this crisis is simple.
The word “Pivot” has been rolling around in my head for quite some time. Even before the pandemic hit. I originally thought it was about learning to build a business but as of late, it really works as a tool to help us learn “how” to take charge of the things we can control.
So now I challenge you not to stay in place!! (NOTE: Stay home but grow forward in your story!!)
Webster’s dictionary describes it in the noun form this way, “the central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates”. As a verb it means, “turn on or as if on…”
Here’s the takeaway…You are the “central point” of your story and YOU need to “turn on” what is central to your story. What is your foundation? What is leading you? What direction do you need to move in personally, spiritually, emotionally, mentally?
Don’t do it all at once, it won’t work, and it will throw you off balance.
Pivot.
Take charge of your pivot!! One small step in the right direction, and with each pivot you will reach your goal or at least get closer to it. Right now, for most of us it is surviving and thriving during our quarantining days which have turned into months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic!!
These are some ways in which I have pivoted in my story:
- Creative with what we eat for meals, so the finances go further.
- Stick to my usual routine of self-care. Shows that I am not giving up on myself.
- Journaling…more. Diving deeper into the raw feelings that wouldn’t sound nice if I verbalized them.
- Professionally – learning more technology so I can work on getting my message out on a different platform.
- Surrender…EVERY MINUTE of EVERY DAY. Holding things loosely because they seem to be changing on the daily.
- Connect with people via Skype / Zoom / Google Meet…but being selective so as to limit the anxiety I let into my heart and mind.
- Keep daily expectations a little lower than usual. It seems as though the distractions at home are more frequent and seem to feel more pressing in some cases.
- Embrace moments of silence as a gift and practice calming techniques like deep breathing or listening to your favourite songs with headphones on (if possible).
Blessings,
Kinita
REFLECTION:
What do you need to do to move closer to your goals?
What are you willing to do about it?
How do you thrive in the midst of change?
