I believe that during the next 18-24 months, it will be crucial to stay focused on four primary areas — physical, mental, economic, and societal health.
We are in the early stages of a global pandemic, which, if handled poorly and let’s be honest, several places throughout the world have been ill-prepared, has the momentum to bring about prolonged havoc in these areas.
Physical health dangers are apparent. Mental health, for those under duress, lacking connection, or emotional support. Economic health suffers from the record-breaking furloughs, layoffs, and business closures, while societal health weakens as fissures in our culture become amplified and mismanaged. You can see the effects on nations and households.
The unknown can feel conspiratorial for some, a sentiment stoked by those with more to gain when uncertainty is present.
If you’ve been quarantined, in lockdown, under house arrest, or just chilling in your crib these last few weeks, your mind has probably drifted past things that have made you angry.
Perpetual racism, bigotry, pollution, cancel culture, government overreach, and underperformance, or militias of hypocrisy, might stir you up. The use of sacrificial workers, preachy keyboard warriors, the continued back turning to native populations, or the ridiculous arguments defining normal, are but a few that may have crossed your mind.
You cannot dwell in these dark places fearful, with looming injustices so vast they threaten to swallow you. Does that mean you default to do nothing? No, you must do something.
- Collect your thoughts. Write down, from your perspective, all the wrongs you want to see righted.
- Underline the ones that feel particularly meaningful for you.
- You might feel self-triggered, surrounded by all the ineptitude you’d like to see fixed. Focus and battle through the emotions.
- Look at the causes you underlined and pick one which you can impact. Find an activity you can take to combat this challenge positively.
We do not need better worriers, whiners, blamers, or complainers. Many already excel in those endeavors. What is required is better leadership. Commit to emerging from this crisis better than you entered it, and help others along the way.