I Won’t Let Fear Steal My Future
Refocus, redesign, or reinvent to create the new normal you desire.
I never expected to live in the twilight zone.
Daily infection counts. Mask mandates. Social distancing.
People are out of work. Alcoholism is on the rise. Child abuse is on the rise. Domestic abuse is on the rise.
We can’t deny any of it. But we want none of it to become our new normal.
Fear does not deserve the right to create your future
I noticed that the more I consume today’s news, the worse I feel. Too much of it wrecks my sense of safety.
So I regularly look for something to smile about, something to eliminate the anxiety that the inundation of bad news causes. Doing so is vital for my wellbeing.
A Kaiser Foundation poll recently found that 53 percent of American adults say they struggle with mental health issues due to the pandemic. According to the same survey, it’s 68 percent of African-Americans.
The Center for Disease Control recommends that we “Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.”
It was more than “upsetting” for a local orthodontist (dental specialist). She was so scared that she stopped believing she could do her job. The thought of working in patients’ mouths without knowing if they carry the virus stripped her of the will to continue her practice. It paralyzed her. And she quit.
My heart goes out to her. If I was a dentist, I’d have to wear a space suit or something. I’d have to whatever it takes to create my new normal for today’s environment.
That means refocusing, redesigning, or reinventing.
Refocus — Choose to live with a sense of hope
Whenever I feel bombarded with discouraging or worrisome thoughts of doom and gloom, I force myself to switch my attention and refocus.
That doesn’t mean I’m uninformed or that I pretend everything is peachy-creamy. However, staying aware of what’s happening is different from emerging yourself in it.
If my thoughts make me feel bad, I do what I can to feel better. I pray, meditate, read funny stories, or visualize the future I desire.
I learned to avoid excessive consumption of anything I don’t want to grow in my life. Since life goes in the direction of your thoughts, it’s advantageous to give as much focus as possible to what you want to experience. Refocusing puts me in a healthier mental state.
The first time I went shopping during the pandemic, I wept.
As hard as I tried, I could not fight the tears. The aisles of empty shelves staggered me, but they aren’t what made me cry. The armed security guards patrolling the storefronts baffled me, but they didn’t cause my tears either.
I wept because people in the stores looked like the living dead. They moved cautiously, like they were spellbound.
Their eerie silence haunted me. I felt the panic in their hearts. Their sadness became my sadness.
I had to refocus — to turn my attention from fear, to thoughts of “food delivery trucks are on the way”.
Refocusing prevented me from becoming zombielike too.
Redesign — Believe the possibilities and go for it
Have you considered redesigning your plans to acquire the normal you desire? You don’t want to wait until something or someone else does it for you.
That’s what happened to the orthodontist. Fear redesigned her plans for the future.
Creating your new normal might mean figuring out different ways of meeting your goals.
My cousin, Kimberly, made an appointment with her optometrist. Her friends told her to stay out of doctors’ offices unless there’s an emergency.
Kimberly explained that the doctor takes safety precautions. He wears a mask and a shield. He only allows one patient in the office at a time. She said she’d wear a mask also.
The doctor redesigned his business. His new normal required changes. Although being an optometrist does not sound as scary as being a dentist, he did not let fear steal his future. His practice thrives today.
Restaurants across the U.S. redesigned how they conduct business. Owners realized the need to do something different in order to survive. Some created meal kits. Some delivered meals. Others changed their menus. They found ways to serve their customers.
You don’t have to have all the answers. But you must believe it’s possible to create the normal you desire. And then work to make it happen.
The future needs that from all of us.
“He who is not every day conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Reinvent — Start again, refreshed
Creating a new normal is possibly an amazing opportunity waiting for you. But you have to act now. Fear steals opportunities.
Yes, in many ways, life as we knew it flipped. Even so, we have to press forward. We can use the pandemic as the perfect reason to pivot and reinvent for a fresh start.
Have you heard of Sarah Blakely? Before becoming a “self-made female billionaire”, Sara was an office supply salesperson. She reinvented. With pantyhose and scissors, she created her new normal. What is it? Spanx, the problem-solving, body shapewear for women.
Martha Stewart did it. She used to model. She sold securities on Wall Street. Martha also spent time in prison. She rebooted and reinvented for a fresh start. Now, Martha inspires people with recipes, party planning, crafts, home décor tips, and reality TV.
Nintendo started as a playing cards company. It later manufactured games, developed a videogame system, and a hands-free controller. Nintendo continues launching software for its fans. Had it never pivoted, you never would have heard of Nintendo.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Get out and get busy.” — Dale Carnegie
Do you know terrified and paralyzed people? Maybe you can help them exchange fear for hope. Encourage them to disconnect from the traumatizing, energy-zapping, scary narrative, and to take action.
Together, we can get out of the twilight zone — this time of weirdness beyond human imagination. Let’s refocus, redesign, or reinvent the future we desire. And not allow fear to steal it.
