As I stood in line at the grocery store, getting the last few items I could think of before we went into hibernation, I looked down. There on the bottom rung of the magazine rack was one of those Life Magazine Special Editions. This edition highlighted Anne Frank, which is ironic since we were heading into hiding. Against a virus.
After two weeks up here in the mountains and looking at all the data that keeps coming out, I finally concluded that this is the new normal.
No one wants to hear that, and I get that, but for now, I have to go with it and move forward from here.
Given that this is the new normal, how do you choose to go forward from here?
Life at home now
The kids are generally not allowed to sleep in too late. Right now is their spring break, so I cut them some slack. I also cut them some slack on Saturday and Sundays. (Generous mom, right?!)
Other than that, they have to get up and get going. I’m cutting myself some slack and sleeping in an extra half an hour to 5:30. But I miss that bit of time, and I will re-evaluate that for this week.
The need for RE-EVALUATION.
You have goals you established at the beginning of the year, and you have systems that you use to stay on track. But things have changed, and there is a new normal. This is the time to re-evaluate where you are now, where you want to go, and the path that will take you there.
Has this current situation changed things for you? What are some things you can do to move your goals forward? What are the new things you have to think about and plan around?
For me, I don’t have help with my mom anymore. (Marilda–missing you!!) so I have to take time in my day for that. My two college students are home. With nine people here, meals require more planning. My usual shoot from the hip method doesn’t work as well.
I still have clients who have been patiently waiting for their copy while I figure everything else out. Their copy needs to change since we have “The New Normal.”
Planning for Accomplishment
Yesterday we had a family meeting to discuss how everyone is feeling about “The New Normal,” the virus, being quarantined, and not able to see their friends. We talked about how they feel because someone close to us got CV and the impact that has emotionally and physically on all of us.
Then I needed to shifted gears. I told them that just because we are locked up here behind our gate doesn’t mean that we have to sit around and wait for things to happen. We are all able to accomplish something during this time, and we need to get on it. No more sitting around in a state of PAUSE. It’s time to move into action.
So I used Todd Herman’s process of developing a two-week sprint. Everyone developed three outcome goals, then broke those down into projects, and the projects were broken down into tasks. Each of us wrote up our goals, and tomorrow we will talk about what we need to accomplish this week.
(I typed up a form for them. If you would like a copy of it, email me back, and I will send it to you.)
The gift of thinking about what you want to accomplish during the next two weeks is that it gives you something to focus on now that you can achieve. One person wants to watch all the design Master Classes, another is taking an online class on how to take better photos with your iPhone, and a third has selected a course that she has wanted to take for two years and now has suddenly received this gift of time.
While there are definite negatives to this quarantine, if you are feeling well, you can focus on what you CAN do instead of everything you can’t do.
Sure, you can put a puzzle together, but maybe you want to learn more about growing a garden in the city. You can bury yourself in a sordid romance novel, but perhaps you also dream of writing one… now you have a gift of time.
What does that look like? Pick something that you want to do that you can do in 2 weeks. Break that down into tiny steps, things that you can do each day.
For instance, if you’ve been dreaming of writing a sordid romance novel (I just like that word!), then start with creating an outline for your story, or creating character backstories, or figuring out the environment. Break it down into manageable bits that you can work on every day. You don’t have to spend 8 hours a day on it. Maybe just 15 minutes here and there. Your brain can be working on it in the background during the other times. The goal here is to get started on something that you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but “never had the time.” Now you have the time.
One other thing that I would also like to encourage you to do is to keep in touch with the people you usually see. Many people will become isolated during this time, and a simple phone call will go a long way. Call, check-in, connect.
What a great time to get all of your college apps done! And DON’T write about how I spent my time in isolation because that will be the topic of the year! You can be a bit more creative than that!
Use your time productively. This is a gift you don’t want to waste.
One thing that has been difficult for me is getting in enough exercise. My friend Brian drops into burpees every 90 minutes and does 30 of them. Those are adding up. I am building up my plank and pushups. My task this week is to do a plank for 30 seconds every 90 minutes between 9 am and 5 pm.
What’s YOUR thing?
You have a lot of opportunities here! Waste not.
Much love,
Alicia
PS: Focus on what you CAN do. Focus on getting healthier, stronger, fitter… build on the positive.
PPS: When I’m really not feeling it, I put on my vibrant red lipstick. That gets everyone moving! That and ABBA music! What is your theme song? I have selected Mambo # 5! Gotta dance baby! Gotta dance!
This is from Instagram which highlights my fear in this whole thing.
So the solution is The Bar Method! You can sign up for online classes! My sister is teaching them to their members! If you want to sign up, join the Bar Method in San Mateo! Help a small business today! 
As soon as we decide to work out, the dogs think it’s time to play… We’ve tried to do the downward dog together (I wish I could have gotten THAT in a photo!). There is nothing quite like doggie breath in your face during a downward dog. It can only be love!