“If you prepare yourself at every point as well as you can…you will be able to grasp opportunity for broader experience when it appears.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt

As full-time work from home continues for most of us, I hear more and more debates about the balance between productivity and giving ourselves a break if we can’t seem to get anything done. I hear these debates from my clients, my friends and family, and in my own head.

I think it’s a tricky balance and an important balance. Especially now, in these moments of huge upheaval and uncertainty, we need to give ourselves even more space, more leeway, and more compassion than we might normally do. We need to let it be okay in the moments (or on the days) when we can’t really focus. Because, honestly, it’s really, really hard to focus right now.

And at the same time, now is a time when we may have – or may make – time for self-reflection and for “preparing” ourselves for our future.

As I’ve discussed with many clients (and my own “inner voice”), now is a time when we get clearer on who we want to be at the end of this COVID crisis – how we want to lead, how we want to engage with our friends, colleagues, and family, how we want to show up in the world. And now is a time when we can take intentional steps to become more of our best self. We can think more carefully about what we say and how we say it. We can take more (and more) accountability for what we do and how we do it. We can build our capacity to see – and accept – multiple perspectives and opinions that differ from our own. We can actively appreciate others, now that we don’t see them as often (if at all), and keep that appreciation flowing when we hit some “new normal.”

Eleanor’s idea of preparing ourselves at every point we can, so that we can grasp opportunities when they appear, makes sense on a “normal” day. And it makes even more sense now. Any way we can prepare ourselves – whether it is by strengthening our self-compassion and loosening the reins on all we have to do and all we have to do perfectly (or is that just me???) or by spending time in reflection and intentionally showing up as our best self in what we say, what we do, and how we do it – is worth doing now.

Who knows what tomorrow will actually bring, but whatever it is, we can use today to get ready.

How are you preparing as best you can?
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For support in preparing yourself for whatever the future may bring, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.

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