6 Tips to Make This Time Your Metamorphosis
By: Leah Mcgowen-Hare
Tags: Covid 19, Hope, Intentions, Gratitude, Mindfulness

Last week, I cried. Not the one tear dramatic cool cry from Denzel Washington in Glory, but the ugly face, nose running, fetal position cry. I cried for the fear of the unknown. I cried because I was sad, I was anxious. I cried because the world as I knew it was forever being changed. So I did what I always do when I feel this way, I went to bed. When I rolled out of bed two days later, I made an intentional decision; while the Universe has put the world on a “time out” with shelter in place, I am making it a “time in”. A time in my cocoon where at the end of it, depending on how I spend this time, I will emerge as a beautiful butterfly.

We are all being required to disconnect in many ways, yet reconnect in many other ways. Disconnect from the constant movement from the hustle of commuting, driving kids around, going out and reconnect with stillness, your family, and yourself. I am encouraging us all to not waste this time in the space of fear, worry, and anxiety. Let us use this time to stretch and grow ourselves to become better versions of ourselves.

1- Embrace Mindfulness

We know that in order to survive this crisis, we need to practice good hygiene and be aligned with a good health regimen. Let’s aim higher and go beyond surviving to truly thriving. In order to do that we need to care for our mental and spiritual selves too. Now is the time to start that meditation/prayer practice you have been meaning to start or become consistent in your current practice. Here is a great resource to help establish good mindful practices Creating Peace While in Pieces :) Find ways to incorporate it in your daily routine. For example, every time you go to wash your hands, say an affirmation, think of something you are grateful for or send a positive thought to someone impacted by this crisis. As you are washing your hands, wash out any anxiety or negative thoughts you may be having.

2 — Get Grounded in Gratitude

It is easy to be grateful when things are going well in your life, yet when we are faced with life challenges it is more difficult to be in a space of gratitude. I have a mantra I say in times when I am angry or sad and I know I need to move to a place of thanks, “Please help me see the good I can not see”. When I say it inevitably something happens that helps shift my mindset like I hear my kids laugh reminding me to be grateful for healthy children, or I feel myself breathing hard reminding me to be grateful for breath and take deeper breaths. Let’s change the narrative about this time, make this the time you go deep with your gratitude. Every day, think of the things, people, situations you are grateful for. Each day you wake up and take that morning breath, is something to be grateful for.

3 — Reach Out

As we self-quarantine, rather than isolate let’s remember our shared humanity and leverage our skills to help others through this difficult time. If you are in a position of stability and good health, ask yourself, “how can you use your gifts and talents to help others through this time?” DNice, a legendary DJ, held a 9 hour DJ set and streamed it live on Instagram. More than 300,000 people joined to hear the music, dance, and share moments of joy in the midst of crisis. He shared his gift with the world and it brought people together removing anxiety and fear even if just for a moment.

What can your gift be to the community during this time? Even something as simple as checking on your neighbors — especially any elderly ones or folks that may live alone — makes a difference. For example, I made mini Quarantine survival care packs for my neighbors with games, blank cards, bubbles to blow, bubble gum and even a roll of toilet paper, I knew that would make them smile. Kind words and gestures spread joy and help to lift spirits.

Mini Quarantine Survival Care package I prepared for my neighbors

4 — Follow Hope Not Fear

I know it is hard to completely shut down social media and the television, so now is the time to take inventory of your feed. Evaluate who/what you are following. Are the people you follow feeding your fears or harvesting hope? Do they provide information that is uplifting, thought-provoking or joyful? Do you need to diversify your feed, follow people that offer you a different way of thinking and looking at life, helping you grow your thoughts in new ways? It is also a great time to reduce screen time and start that book you have been wanting to read or finish the one you started. Be mindful of the information you consume and how it impacts your mindset.

5- Reconnect

For some of us, we are sheltering in place with family and/or friends/roommates. I am home with my sophomore college son, two middle schoolers, my husband, and our dog Rocky. Once we were all able to carve out our space to work/learn, we established a schedule. This includes nightly family activities. The family activities have been creative and quite a variety from board games, to spa night (we all did face masks), even a theater night where we all dressed up and went to the “theater” (our living room) and watched Alvin Ailey’s Revelation.

The night we all got dressed up to go to the theater (the living room) to watch Alvin Ailey

We have done more together as a family in 3 weeks than in the past year. While the board games can sometimes get heated, we are creating memories of joy, laughter in the midst of uncertainty. I have also taken the time to write letters to friends I have not connected within a while as well as had some virtual social gatherings.

6 — Set a 2020 Vision

Remember, this pandemic will end and when it does how do you want to emerge from it?

Use this time to work toward your vision for yourself — for your physical, mental and spiritual health, your family, relationship, financial goals, or new things you may want to learn during this time. You can create a vision board or even a vision book. A dear friend of mine, Jessica Ross, introduced me to the concept of a vision book — where you have different pages dedicated to different parts of your life, family, relationships, career, finances, health, and spirituality. I loved this because it made me really focus on each topic to get a clear vision of what I want. And as we have heard before, once you see it you can achieve it!

My dear friend, Jessica Ross and her vision book

Put it on paper — what will your metamorphosis look like when the world starts spinning again? Wrap yourself in mindfulness, gratitude, community, connection, and hope. Let’s emerge together with the wings we need to carry us forward.