Creating space in 2022
So it’s 2022, and Covid-19 is still a thing. (And if you’re living in Western Australia, it’s much more of a thing than it’s ever been before.) We’re finally trying to get a handle on a new normal, but nobody really knows what that looks like yet. The events of the past 2 years have affected us all differently, but for creative practitioners, the impacts have often included a reduction in the opportunities to show, share and earn income from your art – with all the flow on effects that this can have. And that’s not to mention the personal impacts of reducing contact with your loved ones, isolating or having illness affect you or your family.
None of this will be news to you. But if I put on my coaching hat for a moment, the burning question for me is – in these uncertain times, what is going to make the difference between surviving and thriving? Or in other words, how can we prioritise creating space for the things in our lives that bring us joy and meaning, when it feels as though change is ever-present?
In NLP, one of the frameworks I use with my coaching, there is a concept that could be stated as “the most flexible element in the system wins”. One outcome we often see from coaching is that it enables people to have greater choice. When we can focus on coming up with and choosing from different options, it helps us to be flexible and responsive to the circumstances we find ourselves in. This increases our likelihood of success, as well as our feeling of control and forward movement. It turns out that just like a shark needs forward movement to fill its body with oxygen, we need forward movement in our lives to feel fulfilled and happy.
Like everyone, I’ve been affected in various ways by the lockdowns and restrictions; and like many others, my family was personally impacted by Covid in recent weeks. I won’t deny it felt pretty rugged at times. The kindness of friends and family was both humbling and an incredible highlight from a time that was otherwise quite a slog. But I also found that things got a little better when I had a small pocket of time to ask myself some questions, and see what came up. Looking at the bigger picture, and what I wanted as an outcome, helped me focus on opportunities for connection and replenishment, and that made things go a little more smoothly. (In one such moment I also gave myself permission to break out the spare cookies-and-chocolate hamper gift from Christmas time - definitely my best decision of the month!)
So if Covid is continuing to create uncertainty and change in your life, I invite you to gently ask yourself the following questions:
What would be the best outcome here?
What options could I consider?
And which of these will serve me best in these circumstances?
This is not to gloss over the difficulties we are facing at present. For many, there have been substantial challenges. But when confronted by such challenges, our ability to consider our options and choose a response that serves us best will have an impact on our experience of this time. It could be the difference between whether those challenges break us – or enable us to find opportunities for growth and moments of fulfillment, in the midst of the hardships.