It’s been over a century since anyone has experienced the kind of global pandemic we are facing today. As fear inducing as it is, this kind of systematic disruption is an opportunity to take a deeper, closer look at who we are and how what we’ve been “doing” aligns with who we want to be.
We all rely on systems. They help us feel organized, get things done, and operate more effectively. But it isn’t until our daily systems are disrupted, that we realize which ones are tied to external influencers and which are connected to the sustainable core values we hold, the ones that align with WHO we are rather than WHAT we are doing.
“We are human beings not human doings.”
The Dalai Lama
Think about one thing that you do everyday. Something in your control, one thing that can’t be disrupted. As you try and think of something, let go of any limiting beliefs around what qualifies as valid.
EVERYTHING YOU DO IS VALID.
It’s the motivation behind the things we do and HOW we do them that beg further investigation – where the seeds for personal growth are sown.
If you are having a hard time coming up with something, you’re not alone. It might be that you are living under the assumption that some of the things you do regularly don’t count, or that everything can be disrupted. But how true is that really?
Dig deeper.
It is perfectly natural to rely on external influencers (work, school, appointments, relationships, deadlines) to keep us scheduled and accountable, or even use them to blame when things don’t go the way we planned.
It’s no wonder, in our current climate, that so many of us feel out of control.
Think again, about one thing that you can do everyday. Something that is in your control. Something that can’t be disrupted.
Ask yourself what might be different if you focused on how doing something makes you feel – your intrinsic motivation. The feelings and emotions that are associated with working on and completing a task, rather than what it looks like or what boxes are being checked.
What if making your bed every morning wasn’t about “doing what you should” but how it makes you feel when it’s made? What if you were able to connect it with your value of feeling organized or of honoring your space?
We’re all familiar with the external markers that help us “look like” we are in control and “doing great” (pounds lost, instagram likes, awards earned, bullet points on the resume). What if these physical markers didn’t exist. What if you chose not to play that game?
Now more than ever, seize this opportunity to look for things that are in your control and do them! Play full out with intention and purpose. Do them for yourself and create your own system, one that can’t be disrupted by a global pandemic.
We can’t always control the things that are happening around us, but we can absolutely control how we respond to them!