When COVID happens......
It’s been more than three months now since this global pandemic did hit everyone. And everyone remains in R&R. What’s iffy is that R&R may mean REST & RECREATION for quite a good number of souls. But isn’t it stretching too far ?
Are we not supposed to accept that there is an acid test we are facing ? As the American author Dr Seuss was emphatic about, “when something bad happens, you have three choices namely, you can either let it define you, let it destroy you or you can let it strengthen you.
When the lockdown did hit us, the service industry was the hardest hit. Either they had to work on reduced hours, endure salary cuts or worst, lose jobs. So, the most evocative scenes we witnessed during the lockdown were the long winded queues at pawnshops, which is indicative of the severity of the situation for a good number out there.
Now with the lockdowns getting eased [as we move into the ‘new normal’], staying healthy is one but that is not at the top of the totem pole, that is not even 'primus inter pares'. What is of most paramount importance for us all is the recovery mode we’re into right now.
Being in the recovery mode is about the only common denominator we all share. Beyond that, it’s to each his own. Someone can recover in a month. Others can recover in one or two quarters. Whereas for a good number, the recovery phase can span till the end of the year and even next year.
REALIZATION
Yes, first and foremost, we got to get into the realization whether this global pandemic just caused a minor dent on you OR is this a serious setback for you. Worst, the fallout from this pandemic may seem shattering for some of us. Regardless, you gotta treat this as your CATALYST, to keep you going and get that momentum when you are in recovery mode.
Regardless, what you need is a robust and strong foundation, a foundation that will lift you up from all the uncertainty of this global pandemic. Back in the university, we had this subject on ‘Strength of Materials’. Simply put, this engineering mantra taught us that the “strength of a materials is dependent on its ability to withstand an applied load without failure”. So, unless and until you realize that you are into this debacle and you gotta ‘rise from the ashes’, you can never rise up again.
RECALIBRATE
And surely, most of us will get into that realization but WHAT NEXT ? What makes others recover much faster while it might take me a year or more ? Recalibrate recalibrate recalibrate. Simply put, what you have been doing day-in day-out prior to the outbreak of this global pandemic will never work that effectively now that you are in recovery mode.
Besides you yourself, it pays to seek out someone [could be your immediate families] who will help you get extricated out of this predicament BUT hold on. Be wary and worried if the people you will expect to approach for help and guidance are that those who, in the end, will drive you deeper into self-doubt [sounds familiar ???]. Go for honest ones, the transparent ones, those that will inspire you and give you the buoyancy you need.
RESET
Once you have passed the humps of realization and recalibration, you are now all set to be in RESET mode ! That is the point where your thoughts translate into actions in a strategic manner [unlike getting into tactical mode when faced with an emergency].
Bottomline is, do not let a crisis define you but instead, pivot and find your way out all over again.
