“Food for thought” from our subject-matter-expert Lefki Angeli, who brings to the forefront her vast knowledge and experience of human behaviour to highlighted some of what we may be feeling during this extraordinary period, along with inspirational thoughts for us to share with our teams, our colleagues and our families!
A New Reality
We are currently navigating through unprecedented times brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. All over the world, people are learning and adapting to a new way of life, a new way to work, to manage our businesses, to school our children, to manage our homes and to maintain our well-being, both physically and emotionally. And these new ways, these changes are causing intense emotion.
Emotional Self-Awareness and Management
Speaking from my own experience, I am experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. I have found myself feeling anxious and scared as I watch the global and local news, frustrated as I think about the impact this will have on our immediate future and even angry and disappointed as I hear about the actions and behaviours of a small segment of the global community. And I know that many people around me are feeling these emotions too – it is inevitable, understandable and normal that we do so.
What is important, is that we recognise and work through these emotions, naming them, acknowledging their purpose and really thinking about what we are feeling in a mindful and conscious way. When we do this, we will find that there are also other emotions we are having.
Again, speaking from experience, I have been moved by acts of community and kindness that I have seen around me, from people taking care of the elderly and all their needs, to businesses offering free resources to help people get through this challenging time. I have also been inspired by the innovative and creative approaches some people have taken to stay connected and keep to keep going and I feel hope that we will overcome this.
Again, recognising and acknowledging these more positive emotions enables us to choose where to focus, to choose what to think about, what to say when speaking to others, what to read and post on social media and what to watch online and on TV. This gives strength and a sense of control at a time when there are many aspects that are beyond our own grasp.
So, do not ignore or block out what you are feeling right now, and do not become consumed by the negative side of the picture. Remember that all emotions serve a purpose, we need to acknowledge what we are feeling so we can work through the emotions, deliberately thinking about the current situation through various lenses and perspectives and aiming to remain as optimistic as we can.
This Too Shall Pass
In thinking about the current situation, it is useful to remember the acronym ‘TIE’ to remind ourselves that this situation is:
- Temporary and will not last forever. It is
- Isolated and does not impact every aspect of our life. And with
- Effort on our part, each and every one of us can affect the outcome.
This has helped me to find a way through the negativity to a place of hope and a place of greater creativity and productivity and I hope it will help you too.
Some Helpful Resources
I would also like to share a few more resources that I have found helpful.
Here is a link for a short video about exercising optimism during this challenging period titled “The Work of Optimism: Creating perspective on Coronavirus” by Joshua Freedman. Joshua is one of the world’s preeminent experts on developing emotional intelligence to improve performance. He leads Six Seconds, the world’s largest network of emotional intelligence practitioners, researchers, and experts, creating positive change in over 175 nations. I hope you find comfort and inspiration here
Mindful of the fact that you or some of your team members have young children, I attach a link to a very interesting article by Nir Eyal Author of “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life” about children and technology which addresses concerns parents have about screen time during this period. Much of the content may surprise you!
Also, some games (some of which require more people, so perhaps not for now) for you to play with your kids to help them develop their EQ competencies. I particularly like the one on active listening
Finally I would like to share a quote from a poem I learned when I was at school, that has been playing in my mind:
‘Growing trees are strengthened when they withstand the storm, and the sharp cut of the chisel, gives marble grace and form’.
Click here to view all training programmes by Lefki Angeli.