The Corona Virus Pandemic, A Different Perspective
The Corona Virus Pandemic, A Different Perspective
I am a true believer in that with every “negative experience” there is something positive that comes out of it. Sometimes it is not as black and white but it is always there. I know, how could something positive could come out of a global pandemic such as COVID-19? Unfortunately, is impossible for me to give you the answer because it will be different for every human being. When you start to think about your situation and the pros and cons that could come from COVID-19, it is far more easier to find “cons” or negatively then the other way around. However, if this is the case for you then my option is you are not digging deep enough.
Let me share a personal story with you…
A couple years ago, I challenged a fear I had with snakes. Since I was a little girl, I had such a severe phobia to the point where a stuffed animal or seeing one on TV would make my body go numb and bring me to tears.
A couple years ago, I found myself in a very interesting situation. I was at a networking event and there was a woman at one of the vendor tables with tarot cards. My friend and I were sampling snacks but something drew me to her table. As I was walking over, she flipped a card and it was the snake. What are the odds? Of course my body froze and I started to cry but when she asked me if I wanted to know why I was afraid I felt intrigued. She explained:
“The snake is the guardian of unawakened magic & creative potential. The snake is said to represent our creative life force dormant at the base of our spine in the form of a coiled snake. Regardless of whether this image rings true for you, it’s well worth considering the amount of unawakened or untapped potential within you. What would life look like if you woke it up? How can you stir it from slumber? An experienced yoga or meditation teacher can lead the way. Make haste the snake card appears when there is no more time to waste”.
She told me that my phobia as a child of snakes manifested as a fear of achieving my full potential. First I felt confused, then mad, even more intrigued, and someone grateful. She told me that whenever the snake shows up, it would be telling me I am slacking and not achieving my full potential in life.
After all, what is fear? By definition it is an unpleasant feeling triggered by the perception of danger. What is danger? By definition it is the possibility of something unwelcome or unpleasant.
I am sharing this experience because it explains how there can be positivity in any negative situation. Fear is a challenge and if the challenge we face doesn’t scare us then it’s probably not that important. Fear comes from uncertainty and most “fears” are there to show you undeveloped parts of yourself where you can improve. My fear, of snakes, was about not reaching my full potential so every time I saw a snake from that moment on the TV, on the internet, in a book, on social media, etc … I immediately shifted to a positive mindset about how it was showing up to remind me to work harder. And you better believe they showed up… a lot. They showed up even more since I learned the meaning behind them. We all get those days where we are feeling uninspired or lazy and then a snake would pop up somewhere and remind me to do something more productive. My fear was actually its own blessing in disguise.
My point here and how this relates to COVID-19 is that we should always be looking for the positive in every situation. Sometimes we need to step back from everything to find clarity. It is easy to get caught up in the moment and our daily routines. We get so distracted sometimes in those daily routines that we loose focus on the things we truly love. As unusual as working from home can be, do you have more time to focus on yourself. As scary as unemployment can be were you not living your passion and feeling “fear” around pursuing something else you were more passionate about. These are those questions in which the answers are unique to each person and I encourage you to find the positives which can come out of this feeling or fear and uncertainty in the world right now.
Use this time to surrender to your path and do things that you want to do but never have “the time” to do. Find purpose. I coach people on a regular basis and the one thing I find is that 8 or 9 times out of 10 people are not living their purpose and doing what they want to do. The universe has an amazing way of showing up and interfering when it needs to so instead of looking at this force to social distance as a negatively let us look at it as a way to take a step back and find our purpose, our passion. My heart goes out to the many people who have been laid off or had a decrease in their salaries and I am doing everything I can to give back to my community during this time. BUT… If this is you, it is the perfect opportunity to ask yourself that question…. “Do I love what I do”. If the answer is no, what is your passion & how can you use this experience to move closer towards it and find your true potential.
The most important thing to do right now is to remember to BREATHE. Whether you are slightly affected by these life changes or affected in a greater way, being calm supports our health and well being but also allows us to find better solutions to crisis.
Do what you can to stay positive & remember that this too shall pass.
Show Compassion. Show Gratitude. Be kind. Give back if you can.
