Accept the Present, Plan For the Future
Wow. It's been an interesting few days.
I've been thinking about a LOT of topics (which I will spare you from until I can be coherent about them).
Of the many topics I've been mulling over, the idea of "permanence" has particularly stuck with me. 😉
Permanence is one of the 3 P's of Positive Psychology. (The other two are personalization and pervasiveness, if you're interested.)
Permanence is the idea that whatever is happening now will continue forever. Thus, if you're suffering, you'll continue to suffer the rest of your life. Pretty bleak.
That's why understanding the impermanence of our situation is critical to our response to (and recovery from) setbacks.
In other words, this too shall pass, so we might as well position ourselves for success when it does.
A big piece of what I help my coaching clients with is find a way to be fulfilled, happy, healthy in the present—whatever their ultimate career goals are—while planning for the future.
Yes it’s about the shiny ring at the end, but it’s also about transforming how they show up now regardless of the circumstances...which ultimately gets them the shiny ring faster anyway.
It's about accepting the present while still believing in and striving for a better future.
(And for the record, acceptance is not settling. With acceptance comes peace and ease. Settling is about tolerating something less.)
A number of people have mentioned that time has seemed to move much more slowly the past few weeks. While there's nothing like a global pandemic to help us live more in the present, it tips over into a disadvantage if we accept it as permanent and stop aiming for a better future.
There's very little we can control on a normal day, let alone times like the ones we're experiencing now.
We can, however, 100% control how we respond. One of the success factors is reminding yourself that this is not permanent. The other is getting clear on how you can start creating now what you want in the future.
When this ends, our world will be forever changed: in some ways better and in some ways perhaps worse, much as it pains me to say it.
You have full control to get clarity NOW and begin working towards it.
So don't wait for circumstances to force you into your next career move. Go ahead and plan that next holiday (I said plan, not book. Stay home!) Start that online business you've been thinking about for years. Use the time you're saving on your commute to connect with friends.
Find the joy (and irony) in the things you can bring into the present. You said you wanted a shorter commute? Done! More time with your significant other? Handled. Cook at home more? Problem solved!
There's always opportunity. It's just hard to see through the cloud of anxiety and uncertainty--COVID or no COVID.
You know it's one of my goals to meet a partner in 2020. I could throw my hands up and say, "Guess that's not a possibility now," or I could get creative to figure out how to make it happen!
Who says you can't find love in self-isolation?
Look at all the improvements we were told couldn't be done that were put in place in a matter of weeks and days. If you don't already know my opinion on "impossible" goals, check this out.
There's always uncertainty. We're just hyper-aware of it at the moment. Let that uncertainty be a springboard for a thoughtful, comprehensive plan instead of an excuse to stay frozen.
NOW is the time to start thinking about what you want in the future without constraints. Keep dreaming big and planning. Push boundaries, challenge assumptions, find a way in, know that there's always a way.
Nature sets a beautiful example in this regard. The world is still turning. The sun still rises and sets. In the northern hemisphere, the days are getting longer, the temps are getting warmer (unless you live in Chicago), and the daffodils and tulips are coming up (at least as far as I can tell from my window).
My sincere hope is that anyone who's unhappy or unfulfilled now uses these unprecedented times to go after what they truly want--in career, life, love, art, whatever. There's a beautiful future ahead for those ready to pursue it. Be proactive in creating it.
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Author Bio:
Before becoming a coach, Caroline worked in management consulting and financial services. She's made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and get wherever they want to go.
She’s also a tennis fanatic, aspiring Minimalist, FIRE (Financial Independence and Retire Early) enthusiast, and Aloha Spirit seeker 🤙. She loves to share stories from her unconventional life and career focused on freedom, creativity, fun, health, family, and community. If she can do it, you can, too.
The life and career you want is possible once you have the roadmap. Take the first step by downloading your free guide: 4 Steps To Take Back Your Life and Design a Career With Purpose.