It's been a busy couple of weeks for me with kids home for spring break but life never seems to slow down and, honestly, sometimes I'm grateful for the chaos of kids and clutter.
As I have connected with my family more closely, I continue to be shaken by the world around us. In this message, I offer a few thoughts about how to cope in hard times (like the ones we are living in right now).
History has been shaped by random, unpredictable upheaval. Famine, drought, flooding, fires. World wars, nuclear "accidents", terrorism, genocide.
We are living in one of those times.
Humans are inclined to want a life that is stable, predictable, balanced and level.
We are uncomfortable with too much change. We pull back from things that seem out of our control. We fear anything we can’t regulate.
We go to great lengths to deny that anything truly life-changing could even be happening. We refuse to see it until it’s right under our nose. We ignore the signs until they are obvious and undeniable and then we, retrospectively, believe we knew it all along. It’s human nature. Our brains are wired that way.
First, we think, "that’s so far-fetched, it’s not real or possible."
Then we question, "how bad can it really be?"
Finally, we look back and declare, "it was only a matter of time."
Just as these disrupting events write the history books and define who we are as a collective humanity, they also inform our potential as individuals.
During these storms of life, we have a choice to make: Will we hunker down and wait for the skies to clear or will we lift the sails and use the winds to hasten our course toward exciting, new discoveries?
There are things we can do during this historic time that will expand our capacity and accelerate our growth so that we emerge with greater strength, stability and stamina.
Anti-fragility means, not just surviving but, using the assets we acquire during tumultuous times to deepen our capacity, expand our knowledge, extend our love and grow our soul.
Struggles catalyze positive change.
Systems, from economic to political to medical have proven this model countless times: out of turmoil and disorder comes peace and resilience; Out of stress and strain develops strength and staying power.
What are some of the ways you can reflect on and embrace these uncertain times to grow yourself, your family and the world? Read some ideas in my blog here.
These are the times that will define us. As a global community, as individuals and in our own homes. The conversations we have, the actions we take and the people we become will determine how ready we are when (not if) we experience another random, unpredictable, life-altering, world-disrupting event. Are you ready?
Warm wishes for a deeply reflective and beautiful weekend of family hugs,