This difficult time reminds me of the mid-90s, when the AIDS pandemic was at an all-time high. At that time, I knew I had to do something positive, but had no idea what action to take. Not being a doctor, I joined thousands in the California AIDS ride. We biked 760 miles and raised $16 million of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. In a small way, that service and activity both relieved my anxieties and created value for others.
It’s my belief that is what humans are designed for – serving others. That is our calling.
So, with Coronavirus, it came to no shock to my family that I had to do something positive in response.
But before we get to that, let me suggest five ideas to boost your spirits, and help you be able to respond positively:
What Are You Good At?
For some of you, you’ll answer with “I’m not good at anything.” In that case, what do others say you are good at? Think about this for a moment – is it cooking, cleaning, web design, listening, handy around house, yard work, drawing, music – what are the top things you are good at? Make a list of 5-10 things that you are good at.
How can you share it?
Okay, now that you have identified things you are good at, let’s come up with a plan to share it. For example, you can record a video on your phone and post it to social media. Sometimes just a goofy dance or song off will make people laugh – and levity is a big gift right now. If your skill is more physical in nature, is there a safe way you can be of service to someone? Maybe you could do yardwork for an older person in your area, or safely run an errand for them. Put your skills into practice.
What makes you happy?
Now that you’ve given to others, what’s something you can give to yourself? Ideally, pick something not involving a screen. Yes, there are certainly some limits now as to our options – so you’ll need to be creative. Do you like reading? Seeing your dearest friends? Working on a favorite craft? Schedule and make time for the things that fulfill you right now. Yes, literally put them on your calendar to make sure they happen.
What freaks you out?
Be honest with yourself – even if you are tough. Are you anxious about anything? Is that thing likely to happen today? If not, you can thank your brain for trying to protect you and let it go. While it may sound silly, give this fear a name, a color, a texture and a movement. The more specific and absurd, the better. Now, imagine this new thing flying by you and then going away. This simple exercise will have you controlling it instead of the reverse.
Where do you see yourself/who are you?
For this one, turn your imagination on. Think big for a moment. Who do you want to be remembered for, 100 years from now? What do you want people to be saying about you today (good things) when you aren’t around? Now, what sorts of actions do you need to take to achieve this? What would someone who has already achieved these goals look like, walk like, act like? As much as possible, imagine yourself having already achieved this in your everyday actions. You’ll be surprised by what opportunities may come your way with this perspective.
For me, my response was to realize I was decent at getting people together and making technical things happen quickly. So, we put together a free online course to help people feel vibrant. It’s practical – just 20 minutes a day, for 20 days. This was done by people who have full-time jobs, kids and also stresses from coronavirus. Despite that, we were able to rise above and serve.
You can do this too. Respond positively and with power – there’s an incredible opportunity for that right now.
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