So many people feel an unrealistic pressure to emerge from this coronavirus pandemic with something extraordinary to show for it. My opinion? Don't waste your time trying to impress people. Bring your focus closer to home.
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IT HASN'T BEEN A BREAK FOR EVERYONE
"Don't tell people your plans. Show them your results." Have you ever heard this quote? Well now is the best time to start putting it into action.
Personally, this pandemic has been anything but a break for anyone in my line of work. My workload increased as our staff team worked hard to shift our content and events to online readiness. We didn't slow down in the wake of this virus, we sped up.
It's almost laughable now when I hear people "declare" that everyone should be emerging improved from this experience. That's just so naive, in my opinion. So many have lost jobs and loved ones, and have been forcefully separated from family.
Your life is more complex than an opinion. Don't see yourself as any less if you haven't started a business, learned a new hobby, or somehow become Batman while in quarantine. There are better ways to grow from this interesting season in human history.
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BRING IT HOME
Bring your focus closer to home if you want lasting growth and transformation by the end of the pandemic. Release yourself from the unrealistic opinions of others and all that they think you should accomplish. When you do that you'll be fully free to discover and accomplish what you're supposed to do.
Here are three tips for getting the most out of this pandemic. If you follow these tips, you'll find yourself clear, focused, and motivated to grow in any area of life.
Turn down the noise - This is the hardest to do but the most impactful, so don't skip it. You can clear your head (and heart) and significantly reduce anxiety, stress, and distracting comparisons just by doing this. Find ways to minimize or eliminate information feeds that aren't necessary, or that doesn't inspire and excite you.
Turn up the clarity - Take the time to define personal success. This is what YOU see as success after removing the un-welcomed opinions and pressures from other people. Personal success is often less glamorous and more meaningful than what pop-culture pushes on your. Write (or type) this personal definition of success out and place it somewhere you will see it often.
Tighten your inner circle - Know that it's OK to be extra intentional about the people you allow to speak into the vulnerable parts of your life, especially now. Only allow a small circle of people who know you well to know your personal definition of success or speak into it. For me, this circle includes three guys who I've been doing life with for more than 10 years now. Bonus: Celebrate small wins - Major successes are just lots of small wins over time. All that to say, don't discount your small wins. They're a puzzle piece to the big picture of your success.
QUESTION: What helps you to stay patient with yourself in this COVID-19 world?
The biggest hurdle for a lot of people right now is staying patient with themselves. What helps you most when it comes to being patient with yourself? Share your tips and tools in the comments and let's help anyone in our community who may be struggling with this.
If you have other ideas about great practices of self-leadership and work-life balance, leave a comment below or send me an email letting me know. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for bonus tips and resources on self-leadership and work-life balance or follow my podcast - The Pocket Potential.