One of the hardest things to do during this pandemic is plan for the future. So many things are still up in the air. If your industry is affected by the pandemic, you may have no idea when your job might come back. If you love to travel, you have to limit your options, and any trip you book could still get canceled. It’s hard to know when it will be safe to plan a wedding or a larger gathering of friends. If you know me personally, you know that I’m a planner. I don’t like surprises. I like to know what to expect. I’ll even research weather trends months in advance to know what to expect for an event or trip. So this time is really a challenge for me with no way to plan for the future.
I have to get comfortable with the unknown. So how can you even set goals when so many things are in flux? Well, I’m trying to work on more short-term goals. All you can do is do the best you can with what you have now. Knowing that your career aspirations have been put on hold can be frustrating. Looking for jobs to fill the need versus inspire your soul are just part of the times. Researching future trips versus booking them is the new norm. Setting up phone dates versus in person dates is a secondary form of connection, but it’s better than nothing. The overarching goal has to be to do the best you can for now. Keep moving in a positive direction.
To use a running analogy, when you get a cramp, you don’t just give up and quit the race. You might have to stop for a bit or run a little slower until the cramp goes away, but you keep moving in the direction of the finish line. The cramp is temporary. It will pass. It’s not enjoyable. So even if the pandemic is “cramping” your usual style of life, keep focusing on the future and accept that this is temporary. While I may have no idea what I’m doing in the future, I know that right now I’m just doing what I can and working to stay as positive as I can be. I know that my positivity now will attract a more positive future when it is available.
If you are looking for ways to boost your happiness right now, I did a series of posts called #30happyfacts which shared things you can do to boost your happiness. Look for those on my Instgram and Facebook pages. It’s hard to work on being happy all the time, so it’s a better idea to work on being happy in the here and now. Eventually all those happy “nows” turn into happy always. Don’t focus on what you can’t control, but rather work on what you can do right now.
Stay safe. Work on being happy. Keep moving in the direction you want to go. This too shall pass.
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