The world has changed. As a result of this giant wake-up call known as COVID-19, we have been given a reset button on life. The question is, how will we use it? How will you and society as a whole turn this unprecedented time in history into an opportunity for growth?
The collective fear of a virus triggers our fear of mortality. But it’s more than that. It shows us that a perfect world doesn’t exist. Sh-t happens, and some of it can be really uncomfortable. There isn’t always a happy ending, but that’s life on life’s terms. However, when you know that life is short and your time in a day is limited, you realize what matters most to you. So how do you want to spend it?
We are being asked to transition into a new way of living. But that doesn’t happen overnight. We hold on to what comforts us because we’re afraid to let go of what we know and what feels familiar. The fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of the future can keep us in a holding pattern.
Letting go begins with asking yourself what you are looking to release. What limiting beliefs have kept you stuck? What unhealthy habits no longer serve you? Have you been trying to live out an old dream? And is it really your dream or the dream other people want for you? As you process these questions, it can be helpful to write down your answers in a journal to further explore this dialogue with yourself.
During this time, we have all been given a deep pause where we can ask ourselves, “What now?” Your answer may come quickly, but for many others the answer will not appear right away. They will need time for further reflection, to be more centered and relaxed in order to hear that quiet voice inside. For some, the answer is that they wish they took better care of their body. Others may decide that they want to leave their marriage or make a career move. Some might want to reunite with an old friend or lover, or a family member they’ve been estranged from. Those who are parents might want to work on improving their relationship with their child.
When you experience this moment in time, you break open and feel a deeper connection to your heart. This will stir your emotions at first, since it brings up stored feelings that have been locked away. One of these emotions will be grief. It’s normal to feel loss – for the life you’ve been living and for the life you wanted to live – and to grieve it. It can also be the realization that you lack meaning in your life. There’s also grief for the many events and experiences you had to let go of in order to make room to receive new things in your life. Just knowing that grieving is a normal part of the human experience can help. Feel the loss. Allow it and accept it. Once you feel it, you then have the ability to release it.
Throughout this transformational process, embrace compassion, love, faith and courage. These qualities will carry you through, especially in times of uncertainty. Show compassion to yourself and to others. Being more compassionate with yourself allows you to be more compassionate with other people. This also calls for you to be less judgmental and to use fewer labels. When we judge and label, we create a separation between ourselves and others. This only causes disharmony and hurts our relationships, getting in the way of creating meaningful connections.
Having faith is so important during this time of uncertainty – faith in yourself and in God, or a Higher Power. As you make your way through this journey of transformation to the new YOU, your courage to navigate this unprecedented time in your life will be palpable on a grand scale as you help raise the level of consciousness globally.
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