3 min read
What you focus on is what becomes powerful. So where is your focus during the COVID-19 pandemic and the re-opening of your country? Are you paying attention to the negative aspects or the positives outcomes?
It is a choice. And it takes practice to focus on the positives if your mind is fixed on anxiety and limitation. But is it possible to shift focus by rewiring the paths in your brain (also called neuroplasticity - look it up)? It is actually very simple; what you focus on grows. Just like when you are working out in the gym. This is brain fitness!
Focusing on compassion and gratefulness.
I am aware of the negative consequences of the pandemic, but it doesn't solve any problems to be stuck in worry. Therefore, this is how I choose to act in my situation in the pandemic and the re-opening process.
I made a choice the night the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, closed down Denmark over the television. Actually it was more an instinct - to make this a safe and loving time for my family and for my X-tended family, TimeXtender's X-People. I decided to make the most out of it knowing it's not a bed of roses and we will likely fail, have melt downs, and see some grey days along the way. But it's okay. We'll rise again. Being aware it's a time of learning, acceptance, and curiosity. And it all starts with thankfulness.
I'm grateful for this un-busy time in the family. Thankful for seeing my oldest child finally finding his balance again when his world got quiet and slow due to the lockdown. Discovering my sons' learning styles by getting deeper involved in school by home schooling them and learning their strengths and weakness in their learning patterns. Enjoying how outside play, games, and adventures with a few close friends have become important again. Seeing my boys grow and develop like sprouts in the sun.
I'm jumping of joy and gratefulness when seeing people around me getting in contact with their emotions, dreams, values, and purpose after the world got quiet and forced people to slow down. It affirms that talks about purpose is so important in our lives. And I'm excited to see what happens in the bi-yearly purpose talks; it will be interesting to learn the X-People have experienced any changes in their values and purposes during the lock down and re-opening processes. I am curious as to what grew more important and what became less important in their work and in their lives. Seeing rising minds, awareness, compassion, and creativity gives me hope for new learning and opportunities during - and after - this pandemic.
I have trust, faith, and hope.
It's spring and new things starts to sprout. My kids are back to school (1st and 4th grade) in a new and fine version where the groups are small, the teacher is calm and present, and the shorter school days are filled with playful learning outside. Many of the young school kids have experienced a slower, more compassionate and present environment these moths of lock down and re-opening - and I'm sure that will have a positive outcome on the compassion account for these children. From my experience these kids are opening their hearts as they are learning new life skills and life lessons.
I feel thankful and excited for new beginnings in the re-opening of the new Danish office with all X-People still onboard. Everybody is showing loyalty, commitment, and solidarity. These are some important values to re-discover in a hectic, career-focused society. We found new and smarter ways of working, organizing our life and socializing during this time with remote working, global meetings, meditations, and dance classes on platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. These changes have been an important learning for our company and for our employees. But a more profound and essential learning in this digitized time is, for many of us at least, that nothing can ever replace physical presence. To be close to each other. To be close physically to each other. One thing is to hear the voice of a person and see the facial expressions and the body language via the screen - it's a gift to have that opportunity when we are not able to be together physically. But some of the energy and chemistry gets lost in the digitized ways of being together. At least that's how I feel. What I see and hope for in the re-opening and after-pandemic time is prioritizing more time together in this new era ahead - online and for sure in real life.
I have a feeling we will re-open the DK office and the country of Denmark as a more aware, grateful, creative, compassionate, and wise People.
I think my favorite quote pretty much sums up this blog post:
“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain.” - Vivian Greene
