Well. It’s been quite a week hasn’t it? Here in Madison, we felt the ground shift significantly on Thursday. I drove to Iowa Wednesday night for a presentation on Thursday morning. I got to the site early and had just finished setting up when the HR Director told me she just received an email from the CEO that all gatherings of more than six people are canceled, effective immediately.
I packed up my stuff and got back in the car. By the time I finished my drive home, six more events had been canceled. And now, like you, it’s all over. No activities. No meetings. No presentations. No school. No practice. No church. No carpool. No shows.
What we are experiencing is unprecedented. It’s disorienting. It’s filled with anxiety, confusion, and disappointment. No one knows what’s going to happen. “Normal” isn’t going to be back any time soon.
In times like these, now is exactly the time to build your Thoughtfully Fit core: Pause. Think. Act. There is so much out of our control right now, so the key is to focus on what you can control. You can be intentional about what you do and what mindset you want to embrace.
Not sure how to do that? Here are two ways to use your core in the uncertain weeks ahead.
Set Your Intention
You’re probably overwhelmed with all the things you can’t do, so focus on what is possible and what you can (and want to!) do.
- At the start of each day, PAUSE. Take a breath and give yourself the gift of getting off autopilot. These are unique times that will benefit from you slowing down to be intentional.
- THINK about your options. Ask yourself some questions.
- What’s my goal for the day? Maybe it’s just keeping your head above water and embracing that it won’t be perfect. Or maybe it’s keeping everyone fed and safe. Maybe you want to catch up on your to-do list or tackle that big idea you’ve been mulling.
- How do I want to be? Frustrated. Stressed. Annoyed. Whatever you are feeling is perfectly understandable! Acknowledge those emotions and choose how you want to move forward. You may not be able to choose your feelings, but you always choose what you do next.
- What’s possible today? It’s easy to focus on everything that can’t be done, especially watching the news and following social media. Give yourself a moment to consider what is possible for you!
- Now it’s time to ACT. You might not get it right 100% of the time, and that’s ok. That leads us to the next way to use your core.
Pause. Wash Your Hands. Think. Act.
There’s a reason we need to wash our hands multiple times a day. Life is messy! In the same way, we need to use our core multiple times a day to make sure we are being thoughtful. It’s gonna get boring to keep singing happy birthday every time you wash your hands, so use that time as a natural PAUSE.
Instead of singing, THINK about these questions:
- What is possible in this moment?
- How do I want to be right now?
- What do I want to let go of (besides the germs on my hands)?
That will help you ACT in a thoughtful and intentional way in the crazy world we find ourselves in. And yes. The more you build your core, the easier it gets.
These are unique times and Thoughtfully Fit can help you get to the other side of this. I know first-hand the power of using this model when dealing with uncertainty and crisis. And it will work for you too!
Over the next few weeks, we’ll provide you with more Thoughtfully Fit tips to overcome the obstacles of quarantines, working from home, and virtual meetings.
Take good care of yourself and those around you. We will all get through this together!
