Every time I hear the word, “crisis”, my skin crawls. I know that this is technically a crisis, but do we have to keep using that word for everything that is happening around us during this Corona Virus stay-at-home time?
How do you feel when people describe what is happening to all of us as a crisis? Does it change your mental state? Physiologically, does it change how you physically feel?
You might think that I am looking through rose-colored glasses. Actually, what I am doing is protecting how, where and when I move. You see, I move in the direction that my mind takes me. If I think in terms of crisis, then I will stop or make moves based out of fear. Conversely, if I think of this environment as a “crazy time” or a “wild ride”, then I see myself controlling some part of it all. If I am in control, then I can change some part of it and how it impacts me and those I care for.
I had a time in my childhood when I was quite literally all by myself. I sat there watching as the adults around me failed to be responsible for their actions. After years of watching this happen, I realized that their thinking was flawed and their focus was off. Without sharing too many details to protect their privacy, they were wrapped up in a belief that external things determined their direction. They allowed the outside world to drive their emotional state and their daily actions. Thus, they demonstrated how losing control of our thoughts will most likely determine our behaviors and our results. Since then, I fight every day to protect my thoughts and the words I use. I am intentional.
During this Covid-19 pandemic (Really dislike this very real word too!), I am not ignoring that we are facing very tough times. We have a long road ahead. Nonetheless, in many ways, I have been through much harder times than these. This might be true for you too. I am still here. You are too. Let’s commit to changing our language around this time in our history.
As a leader in my home, I am choosing to help my children see that I choose how I think and behave despite what is happening around us. I pray that they will not live in fear or remember me as a mother who focused on the wrong things, or used my emotions as an excuse to make bad choices. Hopefully, they will recall how I changed my language around this time to create a new reality for us all. Maybe, we can make history together and stop the insanity our language creates.
We are on this wild ride together!
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Thank you for reading this article. It was something that has been on my mind, and I wanted to share it. If you want to make sure you don’t miss any of my articles, subscribe to my community.
