In years to come, the younger generations of today will reference the COVID-19 pandemic as a crisis that changed the world they knew prior to March 2020. Reflecting on this week’s current and forecasted COVID-19 statistics after 2 months of quarantine:
- US – 1.3M active cases, 80k deaths, 189k deaths forecasted by Aug (if social distancing continues)
So what has transpired within the first 2 months of the US quarantine?
- Valuable lives have been lost and more are expected
- Families have spent valuable time together than ever before
- Heroes (healthcare workers, EMT, essential workers, etc) have risen
- Innovations continue at an alarming rate (sanitizers, facemasks, google.meet, virtual parties, etc)
- Core values have been tested
- Various industries are changing their shape and model of their operations
Amidst this crisis, I’m sharing: how I’ve been personally / professionally impacted; observations on behaviors being seen with this crisis; suggestions on making life more extraordinary; and how some of my own perspectives have changed.
Working for a large professional services firm, I have been significantly impacted with:
- 20% temporary salary reduction for approximately 70% of our 50,000 workforce, a strategy that will ensure we do not layoff any employee due to COVID
- Significant budgetary reductions
- Expectation that we will be working from home potentially through end of year
- As we do return, there will be significant protocols and guidelines to be followed (no conference rooms; wearing masks; no coffee machines and other shared location restrictions, etc.)
- Supporting global team members and managers through extended business continuity plans, unlike anything ever experienced
- Focus on “well being” for our colleagues and teams, navigating through stress and pressure
Indeed there has been a lot of change in the last 2 months. Being the ultimate optimist through life, I’ve reacted quickly to adapting and helping others to reach a level of calm and provide support as requested. But then again, I have no other option as a leader. Colleagues observe and follow my lead, mirroring my behavior and demonstrating calm vs. hysteria. How have you reacted and what are you doing differently as a result of the pandemic?
I share my initial observations on how others act out of the gate in times of high stress and pressure. Aside from the initial hoarding of cleaning supplies and toilet paper, we’ve seen some common emotions surfacing during the pandemic: fear; denial; victim mentality; loneliness; anger; blaming; and increased impatience.
For others, focus transitioned more quickly to looking outwards beyond their fears and finding opportunity to help others, serving the community, or focus on well-being. The following quote serves as an inspiration to anyone having challenges navigating the COVID pandemic.
“I really do think that any deep crisis is an opportunity to make your life extraordinary in some way.”
Martha Beck
It’s not too late to define who you want to be during or post COVID-19. Some of the positive and admired traits and characteristics that I have seen during COVID include:
- Caring
- Innovative
- Giving up on what we can’t control
- “Living” in the present and focusing on the future
- Making talents available to those who need them
- Keeping a happy emotional state and spreading hope
- Looking for ways to adapt to the “new normal” and embracing new experiences
- Practicing patience and quietude
- Evaluating and improving relationships
- Creativity
If you can dream it or envision it, you can change your outlook at any point. This is a call to action to each one of us. If one is really unhappy with whom they were pre-COVID, now is the time to reflect in solitude to those desired traits of tomorrow and begin adapting!
I suggest that the first step to changing self behavior or traits is to reflect back on traits that you admire from others – whether it be your parents, siblings, friends, teachers, professors, bosses, public figures, role models, colleagues, acquaintances, etc: Core characteristics throughout my life time that I have admired and resonate for me include:
- Caring & Kindness, expecting nothing in return
- Ability to Relate to all walks of life
- Embracing diversity and respect for all mankind
- Joyful, Fun-loving
- Humility
- Energy of Mind and Spirit
- Good listener
- Respectful
- Piety
- Generosity of heart and mind
- Growth oriented and desire to help others develop
- Outward focus exceeds inward focus
After deciding who you want to be, begin practicing with family, friends and strangers. You might be surprised with the results. But in order to realize change for the long term, continuously focus on your own well-being. You need to love who you are, then others will love you for the energy and traits you so easily display. Have fun in your transformation journey!
For me, the outdoors has always been my inspiration but especially during COVID-19. Nature, hikes and gardening provide me with “quietude” and periods of great reflection. With renewed focus during this crisis, I have gained a deeper perspective of our world and am in awe with the beauty all around us. I compare it to a color blind person that gets color blindness glasses for the first time in their lives. I never really saw the “art” of the forest – the diversity of color, size and texture of the bark on the trees; the bold shapes and structures of rocks; the lone petite flower amidst the weeds; the creeping, intertwined and aged vines, etc. Similarly, by focusing on your inspiration, you too can uncover beauty at much greater depths or uncover other unknown surprises that in turn will make your life become more extraordinary!
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
John Muir
