What We Control

During this pandemic, everything is shifting. At this point I don’t know the long-term impacts for my clients' businesses or my own. It has already been very difficult for some clients and others are flourishing. Instead of giving yet more advice for weathering this time, I thought I would share the commitments I made to myself when I realized that this was not going to be over quickly. 
 
Like many, I miss contact. I miss seeing my friends and clients in person. I am not sure I appreciated just how important these connections are to my happiness. I am worried about a few family members and my business. After having a small consulting practice for almost 20 years, I have learned to prepare for many eventualities. But this current situation seems like no other.
 
And I am also abundantly aware, every day, of how lucky and grateful I am for the life I have. Compared to so many, my worries are few. 
 
So here is what I am committed to during this time:

• Being as kind as I can be to everyone. This has been hard at times, especially watching some of the panic buying. I do not understand it and it was frustrating to see empty shelves week after week. But then I realized that this was probably an outcome of fear and that softened my heart.
• Taking good care of myself and my family. This involves some kind of exercise, every day. It is usually just 20-30 minutes. It also involves preparing healthy meals when what I really want is more comfort food (comfort food for me is stuff that almost always involves pasta, bread, cheese and butter – all at the same time - so not the healthiest choices in excess). Time outside is a big boost and nothing is better for my mood than 20 minutes spent walking along our beautiful lakeshore.
• Practicing Mindfulness every day. I am in a two-year Mindfulness Teacher Training program that started over a year ago. It’s been one of the best learning programs I have ever done (and I have completed some outstanding ones). It’s also been very difficult at times. It feels like an “inner MBA”. But I am starting to see the benefits of daily practice to my life, my work and my relationships. I am going to keep it up.
• Being more appreciative for everything. This is something I kind of pride myself on in general. But I put it in overdrive to balance what I see going on in the world and to remind myself that there are times that this feels like a slog for everyone. 
• Being more patient and flexible with project changes. Some of my clients and their organizations are managing extra change and chaos. They have had to move or cancel some of our planned work. I am disappointed. And I know they have much bigger issues to contend with right now, so this extra flexibility is the only choice.  
• Reaching out to a few clients each week to see how they are doing, with no other agenda, and not expecting them to respond. It seems enough to let them know that I am thinking of them. 

There is nothing about any of this that is going to set the world on fire or solve the COVID-19 pandemic. But it is all stuff I can do, no matter what. And that feels pretty good. 
 
Moira Clarke founded Leadership Consulting Partners 20 years ago to help companies advance their leadership and people systems. If you are reading this to the end, and you find value, please say so and share with others on LinkedIn and Twitter. Thank you!