How to build a better life during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond: Part 2
Reinvention is often scary, but the good news is that now we all have the chance to do it at the same time. ~ Chris Guillbeau
Last week, we continued our conversation about the coronavirus pandemic and how best to respond to it. In summary, even though we’re all desperate for COVID-19 to end, we need to accept that we’re living in the new normal.
We can complain about the new normal. Hate it. Stew in frustration about it. That’s one possibility. Another possibility is to use it as a growth opportunity. ~ Leo Babauta
This starts with developing mindfulness, which is a great way to connect with the present and build hope for the future.
Focus on the moment, make it the best you can, and aim to make choices that improve your long term prospects. You'll feel better in the short term and in the long term. ~ Trent Hamm
And yet most of us are just too busy doing whatever we can just to stay sane. That might mean writing, drawing, painting, singing, baking, online streaming, video gaming, and more.
While there’s nothing wrong with engaging hobbies (I have a passion for classical music and timeless books like War and Peace and Jane Eyre) if you’re spending all day on social media and other things that steal your attention, you might be wasting valuable time.
Each of us gets the same amount of attention to spend each day. It’s a competitive advantage to figure out how to focus it to get something done. ~ Seth Godin
So, if you want to stop wasting valuable time and stop living a “crazy busy” life, you need to let go of anything that isn’t a “hell yes”. There’s no point in trying to do it all, especially when you can just as easily say no to things you dread.
It’s okay to step back from things that are overwhelming you. It’s okay to recognise that your plate is full and that you can’t commit right now. It’s far better to say “no” now than to fall apart later on. ~ Trent Hamm
As you start finding more focus, you’ll start living beyond just today. This means you can look ahead to the future, no matter how frightening it may seem.
At moments of immense change, we see with new clarity the systems – political, economic, social, ecological – in which we are immersed as they change around us. We see what’s strong, what’s weak, what’s corrupt, what matters, and what doesn’t. ~ Rebecca Solnit
Indeed, despite any fear you might have, right now is a great time to shift your mindset and choose your future. Ask yourself: what do you want life to be like when all this is over? You’re free to imagine anything you want!
This moment provides us a chance to step back and look at things in a broader scope, to reassess what’s actually important to each and every one of us, and to make some decisions and choices about what kind of life we will return to. ~ Trent Hamm