In the words of the master himself,
“There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.”
– (William Shakespeare in ‘Julius Ceasar’ Act-IV, Scene-III)
What if this unprecedented global crisis is that tide, my friend?
Let’s take a stroll back in time. What was your frame of mind when 2020 began? You probably set goals for your career, your love life, your personal growth and finances. As time moved on, you stopped actively thinking about your numerous wishes and desires, as you found yourself mired in personal responsibilities, professional duties and the weariness of life. January became February then March, and you had already begun to forget your promises to yourself, putting them on a back shelf till you had ‘time’ to tackle them.
What if the time is now?
Since coronavirus was declared a global pandemic, the media, government and every well-meaning contact you have on Whatsapp, has warned you that the disease is extremely serious and may kill you, your family and a large chunk of the world’s population.
What if the coronavirus is meant for us to keep things in perspective? If we must all die, isn’t it important to live a little before we do?
It’s been over a month since national lockdown was imposed in India, perhaps longer in other countries. You may be at your wits end being forced to stay home, or you may be worried about the state of your finances and future work prospects.
What if this time has been handed to you on a platter, for you to introspect, change paths and reach for your dreams?
You may feel disconnected from the world, lonely if you live away from your family members, or overburdened with household chores if you don’t have live-in help.
What if this lockdown is simply a lesson in becoming self-reliant?
You may worry ceaselessly about the plight of others less fortunate than you, who have no food to eat and no means of earning their keep.
What if that is not your fault, and neither your burden?
All those goals and desires you never seemed to have time for earlier, are ripe for the picking. You must recognise this fact and seize the opportunity provided. Take that tide, which is now at flood.
There is no formula that guarantees success, however, you are better placed to attempt to achieve your desires than ever before.
Simply put, I believe, this time is a gift given to those who view it that way. There is nothing we can do except introspect, work on bettering ourselves, and preparing ourselves to face an unknown future with confidence. So, work on your creative ideas, plan a baby or decide once and for all that parenting isn’t for you, cut toxic people out of your life, take a call on relationships that make you unhappy, learn a new skill that you wouldn’t otherwise.
It’s clear that our existing global systems have been failing for a while, overtaken by greed, selfishness and the quest for power. Now, the system is re-booting. Whatever we may face on the other side, our only weapon will be our own self.
Perhaps you think I’m being too optimistic, or too simplistic. Yes, perhaps I am, but is there anything to be achieved by overthinking and looking for more complex answers?
We have all had to pause in different states and placements in our lives, yet at the same time. I believe this is because each one of us has different lessons to learn, and different journeys to undertake henceforth.
From the beginning of this crisis, I have accepted this simple truth, and it has helped me tackle the inevitable anxiety brought on by coronavirus.
Speaking for myself, I know that nothing is in my hands except my own well-being. I can either learn, practice and put wheels in motion that I have hitherto been too lazy or unprepared to do; or I can wallow in self-imposed loathing and depression. The former seems a far more attractive option.
And so, it’s clear to me that 2020, with all its awful bearings and doomsday predictions, is still my year. And, dear reader, it is your year too.
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I intended to write a post on self-care habits during lockdown today, but this message found its own way through my fingers. It was itching to be said out loud. I hope you understood its spirit and will use it to positively tackle the difficult situation we are currently facing.
Here’s my tip to beat the lockdown blues today:
Write down your goals clearly. Make a list of the things you want to achieve in life and visualise them. It’s the first step to achieving them.
Here’s a movie I think you’ll enjoy watching, which I believe raises similar questions as the ones I’ve raised in today’s post:
“You’ve Got Mail” is a romantic comedy where the proprietor of a small neighbourhood bookstore falls in love with the head honcho of a big chain bookstore, on an anonymous email chat platform. Unfortunately, her love interest is threatening to close her business down in real life. The protagonist faces an existential crisis throughout the film without knowing that she’s in love with her enemy. Even though she is forced to shut her bookstore eventually, she goes on to realise a personal dream i.e. writing children’s books. It’s all about what you make of the situation 🙂
You can watch the movie on Hungama.
A book I love and highly recommend is:
“Year of Wonders” by Geraldine Brooks, which is set in a small English village in the backdrop of the Bubonic Plague of the 17th century. Its premise is strangely similar to the coronavirus situation we are facing today. You’ve probably guessed from its title that the protagonist rises from the ashes despite being in a tremendously difficult situation. Read the book and you will feel inspired and upbeat as well.
That’s all for today folks. I hope I’ve given you plenty to think about.
Please check out my daily update videos on Instagram Stories for #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer and follow me there to stay better connected. Also tell me your favourite TV Shows/ movies/ books/ bloggers with the letter Y?
Yasou till tomorrow! (farewell in Greek)
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This post has been written for the #AtoZChallenge 2020. My theme this year is #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer, where I’m journaling my thoughts during the coronavirus lockdown, and sharing numerous recommendations that will help keep your spirits up. Read my other posts here:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X
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