In my last post, I talked about the importance of moving from crisis mode to living and leading in our new way of life. I compared the crisis mode we’ve been living in to having knee surgery and the doctor’s order to get up and walk.
But how do we go about doing that when the potential for another crisis still looms? I think it begins by changing our mindset.
Reframe the Crisis
So many of us can’t wait for 2020 to be over. We joke about it. We sell t-shirts that give 2020 a one star rating. And, we’re already talking about how 2021 will surely (fingers crossed!) be different. That’s not to say that going through a crisis is not challenging, heartbreaking, and life-altering, but if we are going to move forward, part of the process is reframing the crisis once we are on the other side of it.
Can I just tell you that 2020 has been one of the most revolutionary years of my life?
I am a totally different person than I was on January 1, 2020. I experienced healing, a renewed faith, and a deeper understanding of my identity in ways I never imagined. I reexamined how I spent my time and created more margin for myself than I currently know what to do with. I reconnected with friends. I started a blog. I met with women who needed a little encouragement. And, I now have a dog who brings us so much joy. The constraints of being at home led to an inward transformation and outward opportunities that I never dreamed possible.
How do we go about reframing a crisis?
- Recognize that crises have a beginning and an end. This season will not last forever. Time and life ebb and flow. We are going through a crisis, but we are not staying in a crisis.
- Reflect on the unexpected gifts that came out of the crisis. For some, creativity and innovation exploded like this pizza company who repurposed their oven to make face shields and the kid who used his 3D printer to do the same. For other, family time was elevated and prioritized and check out these responses to the question, “What are some positive things that have happened to you because of COVID-19?” People responded with everything from successfully growing a tomato to finding their birth mother and father.
- Resolve to combine the positive with the negative rather than focusing only on the negative. Being positive is not about being in denial or ignoring reality. Instead “It means you maintain hope, optimism and faith in order to create a better reality” (Jon Gordon, author of The Garden).
Rethink Your Thinking
As of right now, we are (mostly) on the other side of the crisis. While I understand that the winter months could usher in a flare up, we cannot continue to be paralyzed by the “what ifs.” This is not the life that we’ve been called to live.
When God said, “Don’t worry” and “Be anxious for nothing,” He wasn’t kidding. He wasn’t giving us a “thought for the day” from a desk calendar. He meant for us to live without anxiety and worry as a habit of life (or a life not characterized by worry or anxiety). Please note: I am referring to not referring to ongoing anxiety that requires medical intervention).
The Greek word for worry/anxiety literally means to be “drawn in two different directions.”
Anxiety has rung the life right out of us and torn us apart. Our thoughts dart off in multiple directions usually ending with the worst case scenario.
And to be honest, anxiety doesn’t need a pandemic to halt our ability to live and tangle us up in a web of worry.
Anxiety just needs a mind that is open to the darts of dread, fear, and disaster.
If we are going to begin living and leading where we are then we have to get serious about our thought life. And the best way to go about interrupting thoughts of anxiety and worry is to follow the advice from Jennie Allen’s book, Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts:
“So what is the one thought that can successfully interrupt every negative thought pattern?
I have a choice.”
That’s it. That one single phrase has the power to transform our thinking and kick start living and leading again.
So, my friend, what do you need to do to start living and leading where you are? When you look back, what good has come out of this year that you need to add to your mental highlight reel and inward narrative? What do you need to do to “get up and walk?”
Please note: While I am referring to the crisis of the pandemic, I do believe that this applies to any crisis in our lives, both the ones we’ve created or the ones beyond our control. However, this post is not for everyone. We are all at different places and have different experiences, but for those of us who are ready, this is an encouragement to take control of our minds and our time.
