Power is ultimately something that each one of us wants. Not necessarily having total control over someone else, but the power to make decisions over our own life.
It’s hard when that option gets taken away. We’re seeing people’s response all over the news. There are protests. People are fighting back. Some of us are just doing what’s recommended. So, what do you do? First off, don’t lash out at other people. They’re doing the best they can with the information they have. It’s so easy to get angry and blame other people. To be truly empowered, work to rise above these emotions. Second, try to find a way so that you’re making a choice. This can be challenging when you’re not able to cover your basic needs. Is there a way that you can? Can you do odd jobs for someone else? Can you get assistance from the government? Can you make changes to your lifestyle? What can you do to make decisions that support you? Third, how can you live within these new parameters? Do you stay home? Do you find other ways to occupy your time? Do you get help? Maybe even do things you really don’t want to, like wear a face mask.
Some emotion is coming to the surface for each one of us to deal with. In the State of Maine, phases for reopening were announced this past week. While a lot of them made sense, some of them did not. Hair salons were on the phase 1 list. For myself, my co-workers, and some of our clients this didn’t make sense. Other clients are messaging us to book their appointments. We must prepare for new requirements and find a way to feel comfortable leaving the safety of our homes and going back to work, especially when we thought we had more time. This is a process. There’s the physical side, with what needs to be done, but there’s also the emotional side. It’s so important to not overlook the emotional component. We aren’t robots. People are afraid and there is little comfort provided on the news. People feel alone and isolated. We can’t even hold funerals and bury our dead in the same way. We’re all grieving for a life that was lost, whether someone we loved or our “normal” life.
Please give yourself and others time. We will get there. It may not happen as quickly as you would like and someday we won’t have to be concerned about COVID-19, but we aren’t there yet. Until that day, try to find a way to make empowered choices and realize that everyone is hurting in some way, even if it doesn’t appear that way. Looks can be deceiving.
How can you find a way to seize control and make a choice from a place of power? Let me know. Do you want to know more about what I do? Click here to book a discovery session or an appointment.