Hi Everyone

I promised yesterday to create an article on how we can firstly deal with the chaos created by the Corona virus, and secondly help our communities deal with it.  This represents a great opportunity for us all.  Please find here the first of a series I will write over the next few days:

How to deal with the stress and realities of the Coronavirus pandemic

How do you keep focusing on your life and your goals, sometimes even faster, in the midst of all this chaos? Remember the old Yin and Yang: where there is chaos, there is also opportunity.

Amid all the uncertainty which the Coronavirus pandemic is bringing, there is one thing that is certain.  Life as we know it is changing and will probably never be the same again. As the old adage goes, “This can be both a blessing and a curse”.  Remember that both sides are created at the same time.  For us as GeniusU members, this does present unique opportunities to be a voice of calm and logic, and to lead the way into a changing world.

In order to do this, we need to first focus on ourselves before we can lead the way for others.  We must decide now to set our own emotional centres and we must choose our focus very carefully. This is an opportunity for us to personally explore how we lead our lives, and how we manage our mindsets.

1. How can we personally use this time to create positive change in our own lives?
   Which new habits can we adopt to support us in the future?
   How can we forecast in our business and lives for the next few weeks with all this uncertainty going on around us?
   How do we deal with our lives when everything around us seems so chaotic?

Hereby follows some principles which we can all incorporate to help us better cope with what is currently happening around us.

Principle 1 – Adopt the “Role Model” Mindset

When we adopt the “Role Model” mindset we tend to behave differently because we know that people are watching to see how you are dealing with the stress.

Right now, all of us are either adding to hysteria and panic, or we can choose to be stable and an example to everyone else. We can choose to be the role models – the community who are centred in this time of uncertainty. It might not be easy, but it is very necessary. This is an opportunity for us to project and demonstrate real strength, centredness, calm, and patience when everyone around us is freaking out.

Here in South Africa, we see a great example of the opposite of this.  There is a big gap between the haves and the have-nots.  The haves have the finances to go raid the shops and stock up.  The have-nots have to wait till month end to buy supplies. 

So what is happening?  Those with the money are emptying the shelves and leaving nothing for the others.  This is causing an even bigger sense of panic and doom.  This is the opposite of the role model mindset we are talking about here. 

Amidst this chaos, this is a great opportunity to:

1. Be a role model to your family and to your community.
   Grow your career when everyone else is taking cover and freaking out.
   As a global citizen, show more humanity and be more caring and compassionate.
   Stop being a participant in all the drama and rather set your own emotional tone and reality.

Most people attempt to escape the reality of what is currently happening by hiding and pretending it is not there.  A role model steps up to the plate and shows everyone how we should be behaving in this challenging time.  I believe we, as GeniusU community members, have a great opportunity to step up to the plate and be a role model for everyone else. 

Let us honour this reality by facing it.  That is one of the goals here in the Change Dynamics circle and over the next 10 days, I will share with you some practices you can start adopting each day.

Practice 1:  Make the decision right now that you will always be the one to remain centred among all the chaos.

It is a decision and it is a COMMITMENT (If you want to learn about where your true power comes from, and the power of commitment, and you want to share this with others, join us in the Change Dynamics Certification program coming soon).

Make the decision and commitment right now: “I will be centred among all the chaos.”  When everyone else around you and in your business is freaking out, connect with yourself.  Take a few deep breaths. Make sure that you are keeping perspective.  There are simple things you can do to protect your mind, but it ultimately starts with a decision.

Choose your emotional tone:

You can choose your emotional tone and attitude when dealing with uncertainty and chaos. This is crucial.  As you learn in the Change Dynamics Microdegree, when we buy into the chaos, our thinking mind switches off.  What will that mean for your life and for your business?  Now, when your business needs you to be 100% present, you can ill afford to be switching off your logical thinking brain.

Make the decision:

Make the decision to be present in this moment.  Do not let Mr. X take over your emotional state. Right now, not only will your Mr. X attempt to take over—because believe me he is feeling very unsafe—but other people’s Mr. X will be FREAKING out.  If you are not present, he will win. By all means, plan for the future, but right now, you need to be present and you need to make the decision to be present.

Take responsibility:

Take responsibility for the energy you are projecting right now.  Do not add to the chaos.  Your current tone is either going to further the chaos or level it. You can decide to join in all the conversations about how bad the state of the world is right now, or you can decide to be that calm assuring voice people are looking for. Your family, your clients, and your business need to see you centred and calm right now so make the decision and commitment to be that.

If you have ever seen the movie “The King and I”, you will remember a song which goes, “Whenever I feel afraid, I whistle a happy tune, so no one ever knows I’m afraid.  The result of this deception is very strange to tell, for when I fool the people I fear, I fool myself as well”.  You see, when we work on convincing everyone around us that we are calm and collected through all the chaos, then we convince ourselves as well.

Some closing thoughts

To stay centred through all the chaos, you also need to stay a little distanced from all the chaos.

Really focus on your business

Instead of reading every single article you can, and listening to all the bad news, use this time to really focus on your business.  Use the time out to really work ON your business instead of just IN your business.  You might just find an amazing opportunity to help others and grow your business if you are looking whilst others are hiding.

Remember that the chaos and the opportunities are created at the same time – what are you focusing on?

Continue to work on your plan

Do not make any major changes to your routines.  This is a very important point. If, like in many parts of the world, you are forced to stay at home, try to keep your routines as normal as possible.  Do not lie around in bed all day long.  Get up and get to work as if you were working from the office.  If you change your routine too much, Mr. X will notice and start to panic. 

Keep centred and calm

Stop hitting the “Oh my god” button on your phone.  You know, the one that keeps refreshing and updating what’s happening around the world and you look at it, panic and shout “Oh my god!” 

Sure, catch up once a day if you need to, but instead of hitting the refresh button every 10 minutes, rather focus on your business and what you can control. Don’t worry, if anything bad is going to affect you, you will get the news.  Someone will tell you shortly.  But don’t sit around all day focusing on it.  It drains your energy and your creative resources.

Leave the chaos on the outside where it belongs

Remember, we are not saying don’t be informed, rather don’t let the chaos eat you alive. Chaos on the inside grows as checking in on the outside grows. Be aware of emotional contagion which could end up being even worse than the virus itself.  The more this negative energy spreads, the more people will be affected. 

So, in conclusion, Principle No 1 is to make the decision and commitment right now to be the one calm, centred person among all the chaos, whilst everyone else seems to be losing their centre.

In the next article we will continue with the next principle we can all apply in this unprecedented time of change.