After a long, difficult year, many of us are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. More and more of us are vaccinated. Restrictions are lifting. The weather is improving. And many of us are planning summer vacations and finding ways to reengage with the people and activities we love.
At the same time, so many of us are feeling fatigued, and even depressed, or like everything seems much harder. The phenomenon, which is being written about in the media and experienced across our networks, has been called Pandemic Burnout, and ironically, it is hitting many of us just as things are starting to get better. Now that we’re out of survival mode and getting back to living, many of us are feeling very differently than we thought we would.
Added to all of this is a political season that has been tense, as we have transitioned to a new administration in Washington, and have lived through the stress of the Derek Chauvin trial and other issues of justice and equity that continue to consume our country. No wonder we are all so tired.
But when we come together, we have the ability to influence the future of this country. And when we tap our inner toolkit to build resiliency, we have to ability to move forward with intention and purpose.
It starts with each of us
How do we each show up in our lives and in the world?
How do we live with integrity each day?
And how do we move forward after we have been deeply shocked and scared?
We have an invitation to think about these questions now.
How are you showing up each day?
Living your values is a critical skill, allowing each of us to embrace challenge and forge a path that is fulfilling and energizing.
Are you clear about who you are, your values, what you stand for? Do you live by those values each day?
Few of us are very clear about knowing ourselves, and few have focused on identifying the values that are most important to us. Many of us are people-pleasers, and thus do not stand up for what matters to us. Or we put ourselves last, always focused on caring for those around us.
Maybe we want to speak up, but don’t have the courage to speak our truth. Or we do not believe in our abilities to do things that truly are within our reach — if only we stretched a bit outside of our comfort zone.
Are you living in integrity every day?
Even when we do have clarity about ourselves and our values, few of us are able to fully live in integrity with what we care about.
It takes courage and conviction to show up each day, at work, with our families and friends, and stand in our personal power.
We have all heard people say things that we feel are not right, or are unfair, misguided, or false. Or we’ve been asked to accept or follow directions that are out of alignment with our integrity. In circumstances such as these, the challenge is to find the words or take action to offer another point of view, or advocate for another path forward, or defend the truth as we perceive it.
It takes courage and conviction, and many of us struggle to find the words or take the actions, but living in integrity is a critical skill. If we live our true values and vision, our work and relationships benefit, along with our peace of mind.
How are you moving forward now?
We all need to find ways to move forward with purpose when things get tough. Take some time to consider the following questions. Even if it feels overwhelming, sitting and finding your truth is time well-spent. It can help you tackle the challenges in front of you, and reengage with purpose.
- Consider times in your past when you needed to be resilient. What did you do? What allowed you to find that strength? Now that time has passed and you look back, what might you do differently today?
- Where are there opportunities for you to create steps to move forward, rather than reacting to the challenge that’s troubling you?
- Can you slow down, get present, and consider lots of possible options — so you can choose what next best step to take?
- Can you reach out for help or support?
- Can you ask yourself this question: If I were not afraid, what would I do?
When you consider these questions, you will find meaningful insights, and resilience will come more easily.
These times call for more of us to live big
When we live big, we create an exciting and fulfilling life. We live boldly. We live with love as the driver. We become aligned with our true purpose. We live without fear and with a sure compass.
I invite you to spend some time with the ideas and the questions I shared above.
When you devote time to careful consideration about yourself and devising new ways to move forward, you are opening the door to living more intentionally — living your values, bringing resilience to challenges, and having more agency in your life.
And when we each strive to live big, we impact not only our individual lives, but the lives of those in our families, our communities, our country and the world.
Stay safe and well, and keep creating.