Challenging times always teach us a great deal about ourselves. We learn the depth of our inner strength and what we most genuinely need to protect deep within our hearts. And along the way, we also begin to realize that our view of the world, and ourselves, have been altered. As the world continues to battle this pandemic and all the crises that will follow, how will you redefine success? What will you choose to use as your new yardstick to feel successful and productive in this world?
Give it some thought, because the old standards are not going to be a fair measurement of what you are accomplishing each day. No longer is each day or hour going to hinge on the amount of money that you earned, the items you crossed off your traditional to-do list, or the brand car in your driveway.
Our new reality is going to be far more real. Did you manage to have enough food for your family? Were you able to calm the fears of your children? Did you make it through the day without a meltdown of fear or regret? The past cannot be changed. We must all work with what we have to find creative and new ways to survive and move forward on this new path. And we must also find a new sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in our daily lives.
Don’t subject yourself to old standards or old expectations. Be proud of all that you do each day to keep yourself and your loved ones as safe, healthy, and happy as possible while we learn to succeed in this new normal.
A great challenge you are putting before us, Kathy, for it’s true. Our world will never be the same again but I feel it will be better because we are waking up and you describe this process beautifully. We will go from an emphasis on “stuff” to an emphasis on “substance,” and we will see the beauty of our world, the sacred in all living things, people, plants, animals, everything that has life, and the gift of life that so many of us have taken for granted. Thank you for your gifts of writing and inspiring all of us to stay the course with hope, faith, joy, love and gratitude!