I often enjoy reflection and resetting. Like many of you, the end of December was my time to reflect and reset. I made a commitment to work on my mind, my focus and my body equally. I want to share the impacts they have had on me especially during an unusual start to 2020.
For the body, at least twice a week, it’s the high impact dance inside my little apartment where there is barely room to kick a leg out without destroying some sacred ornament… like a husband! Sometimes, I add a non-stop 15 minute jog around a nearby park. For the focus, it’s about creating a boundary. This means saying yes to only the opportunities that align with my passion, value and interests. This is hard because I often have to deal with my FOMO (fearing of missing out) when I say no. By learning to say no, I have more time for my “mind”. This is when I spend more time reading and writing. I have started one line of gratitude journaling. Every day, I write down one thing that I am grateful for and making the statement as specific as possible. After about ten days, I noticed my positivity strengthen. With a healthier body and mind, I feel more relaxed, flexible and less agitated when things don’t go my way. I started these new practices to challenge myself to be better and also to help unpack a question I have been having for a while now, “what is the point of doing what I do and what is the point of being?”, I haven’t found the answer that I am satisfied with yet. Is it the sign of me getting old or is the meaning of life simply a question one would have at a certain point in time? These practices have built my resilience to cope with the changes as a consequence of COVID-19 really well. I hope the little things you decide to do for yourself will help you go through this rocky ride and if you haven’t already, the perfect time to reflect and reset is when you are ready.
The news all around the world is covering the topic on COVID-19 and it can be overwhelming and depressing. On a positive note, it is great to see so much gratitude is expressed towards our health workers by societies around the world. What makes me especially grateful is to see the unnoticeable and unpraised occupations like our cleaners, rubbish collectors, supermarket staff being recognised and appreciated. Some of them were even featured on popular shows, like the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 7:30 Report. We may not have the power to give these workers the pay that demonstrates the true value of their work yet, but I believe we have the power to give them respect and acknowledgement – it is free and all it takes is respectful attitude and gratitude.