It’s not all Doom & Gloom!
By: Greg Winkler
As I sat on my Lanai this morning, Day 50 of stay at home and social distancing, I started to reflect on what I have done during this unprecedented time in our lives. Many of us found ourselves working from home or not working at all. Some of us turned into homeschool teachers, couch potatoes, or movie critics as we binged on Netflix.
Scrolling through many social media feeds, I see people who have become chefs, hairstylists, & movie producers. Some of our friends and neighbors have re-invented themselves. In contrast, others have regressed and not handled this period very well.
My house is entering Day 51, if we took one-hour a day to explore or practice something new, that would make 51 hours of gaining new knowledge. If you had decided to improve your cooking during this time and spent those 51 hours learning how to cook, it would be the equivalent of taking a 3-credit college course.
If you are anything like me, motivating yourself has been like a pendulum, it swings back and forth from day to day or week to week. There are days where an idea strikes and I jump on it and ride the wave. Other days, you have no desire to do anything. Deciding on an area of improvement or enlightenment may be the thing that sparks the motivational light.
How do we decide where to focus our energy? I am an avid cyclist, and this pandemic has allowed me to hit the road daily and increase my yearly mileage total. I work from home 5–6 hours a day, and then I hit the road. The ride allows me to move after a day filled with endless screen time. There are no meetings or social functions to attend at night, and those time-fillers have all been canceled.
One of my sons decided that adding a cycling plan to his day would be his 3-credit course, and he is passing that class. He has improved his fitness during this time and, more than likely, his level of motivation. Another son was furloughed for a few weeks and decided to make some home improvements in his backyard. He was never a “get your hands dirty” guy, and he made a great outdoor area for his family. He picked up his 3-credit course in home improvement and DIY.
How do you pick your course and get started? The first thing you need to do is take an inventory of what interests you. Once you make that list, determine which of those interests you could focus on. I, unsuccessfully, took piano lessons as a young boy, I would love to try and learn that skill now. The ability to use a piano at this time is not available to me so that interest gets scratched.
Maybe cooking is on your list, it could be web design, or learning about history. Decide on one or even two interests and get started. The next step would be to schedule your “class” time. Look for a time during your day that can be devoted to your new interest. Just a reminder, it is OK to miss a class. Many times we start something, we miss a day or two and give up. There is no teacher to kick you out, of course, or put you in detention.
Self-improvement is for you! This class you are now taking is for your self-improvement, it is for your mental health. We can choose to come out of this as better individuals. It is impossible to predict when we return to whatever our “new normal” will be. Maybe our “interest” will provide a new career path for us. Perhaps our interest will make us the life of the party when parties start happening again.
The real benefit will be intrinsic. We will have done something to improve ourselves. If we educate ourselves, we help improve those around us. Instead of feeling lonely, sad, or frustrated during this pandemic, take a class. A class you create, a class you want to be in.
Good luck as you pursue a degree from the University of YOU!
Greg Winkler is the author of Coaching a Season of Significance, and co-author, with his wife Vikki of, Welcome to Florida (WTF). Greg has a new book coming out this fall, The Transformational Coach.
