True Character Revealed

This has been a weird week.

There’s a lot of uncertainty swirling around, a lot of confusion, a lot of angst. Some of us are holed up at home. Others are going to work everyday while worrying about childcare. And others are worried about paying their bills since they’ve lost employment. Stores are closing, the stock market isn’t doing so great. It’s chaos.

But you know that already.

Today, I want to talk to you about something you may not know. How do you stay true to who you are, in the midst of all of the madness?

Here’s the thing. When we’re under pressure, when we’re stressed, when we’re tired. That’s when, what’s in our hearts, even the ugly stuff, really comes out. We’re just not able to camouflage it so easily.

Are you willing to lie for an extra bundle of toilet paper? Do you have a me and mine against the world mentality? Are you just really worried?

I propose this. The problem isn’t our situation. It never is. The problem is how we choose to respond.

What if we change our perspective, and think of this as an opportunity? We have an opportunity, right now, to show the world, and ourselves, who we really are. There’s nowhere to hide, there’s no way to sugarcoat. Right here, right now, we have to be with ourselves with most of the distractions removed. We are about to meet our true self, whether we know who that is or not.

So how do we remain positive in all of this? Or for some of us, how do we become positive? How do we make sure the character we want to embody is shining through?

Well I’ll tell you 😉

Breathe. Seriously. Do it right now. Deep Breath in. Then release.

Sometimes we have to take time out to remind ourselves to remain calm. That calm allows for better decision making, a better attitude, and even better health.

Live in the past. 

Not in the time travel sense. Even though this feels like the twilight zone, we’re not quite there yet. 🙂 But basically remove all of the stressors from the situation. For example, if I snap at my husband because he ate some of my ice cream, I have to think. Last week, when I had grocery stores at my finger tips, would I have snapped about this? And if you would have….well then… carry on.

Realize you are not alone. 

Guys we are not alone in this. We’re so un-alone that the whole world, not just our country is going through this with us. It may be hard to feel that way if you are physically alone. But if that’s you, reach out and digitally connect the best way you can. This means phone calls, texts, facetime, gaming, or whatever else gets you that social interaction.

Empathize with others.

Sure, you’ve just stood in a long line for groceries, and you’re frustrated. But what about the cashier? Why not smile and tell them thank you. Because after you leave with your groceries, they’re still going to still be there dealing with a lot of unhappy customers, while being concerned for their own health.

Unplug. 

You may think this is crazy. Especially since you’re stuck at home and all you have are plugs. But sometimes, for some people (and I’m one of them), listening to every new update or development can be too much. For me, it increases my stress level. Instead, try to have a designated time to check the news and updates, and then, in the meantime, let it be.

Release control.

This is a hard one- for me anyway. But focus only on the things that you can control. In your little space. We can’t really control what is going on outside our doors, and now we’re seeing that more than ever. So we just have to let it go. Instead focus on those thing we can control. Like deciding to stay at home. Or what’s for dinner tonight? What will you work on, that’s gotten pushed aside in the past, now that you have the time?

By all means, this is not an all inclusive list. So please drop your suggestions below! What are you doing to alleviate stress, stay positive, and stay true to yourself during this time? 

Well, before I go, I’ll just say one more thing. There is good here, in all of this. We just have to look for it. I’ve seen articles about people looking out for the elderly in their neighborhood- from a distance of course. People are donating money to others that are struggling right now. Sports players are giving up salary, to make sure other employees at their facility are covered.

These things make me smile. After all of this is over, I want to look back and be proud of the way I handled myself. We can get through this with grace, class, and a sense of community, even during the isolation.

When we are alone, and no-one else is watching. That’s when we’ll learn who we really are. And I’m hoping that we’ll all like who we see.

But if you don’t, don’t despair. Now is your chance to work on those areas you want to fix. After all, we’ve got time. 

Make life sweet and learn all you can.