One Year Later: Was It a Fresh Start?

Hi Friends.

I sent an email out one year ago tomorrow asking: Is This a Fresh Start?

I couldn't help but wonder at the time if the forced change of lifestyle was a chance to live life differently than before.

March 27, 20202: "If this is a New Normal For Now, regardless of how long, then the new behaviors we adopt in the New Normal For Now will become new habits. And those habits will decide how we feel inside and out. And I can tell you that if grocery stores continue to be out of ice cream and cookies and chocolate and chips, we'll be feeling SUPER shitty inside and out soon enough.

What if we flipped the script about this whole situation? Yeah, let's give ourselves a small window of time to 'get through this' and feel our feelings. Can we then remind ourselves that feelings are not permanent? And then, can we see if this situation could serve as an opportunity to create new habits to help us feel GOOD? 

We could figure out how to exercise at home; try out some new recipes; tidy up to create more mental space; go to sleep earlier; journal; meditate; take up running with your dog while also socially distancing (see photo above). We can learn to be there for each other, lean on each other, connect more (thanks, Zoom!)."

SO today, March 26, 2021, I want to ask a few questions that my business coach and friend Pamela asked during a meeting last week in an exercise called Looking Back, Looking Forward. Set a timer for 60-90 seconds per question and just write. Ready?
1. What impact has the pandemic had on me personally?
2. What adjustments did you make to support your well-being?
3. Throughout all this, what have you learned?
4. Of what you've experienced this last year, what is the story you are telling yourself about you as a person?
5. What stories are you telling about your opportunities for success looking forward?
6. Do those stories empower you? Or not?
7. What new stories could you create? What would that open up?

I'm just going to leave those here for you.

Keep staying well, safe, and get outside, Friends!