Thinking About You During This Challenging Time

We’ve been thinking about you during this challenging and potentially instructive time and hoping you and yours are staying safe and healthy. We also trust you have been able to remain resilient in the face of tough situations.

For us it’s been helpful to remind ourselves about what Emotional Intelligence and Diversity teaches us about staying healthy mentally, emotionally and physically. The first message is about gratitude and focusing on what we are grateful for as a powerful strategy. Focusing on gratitude has the power to influence our philosophy and our physiology. Beyond that, let’s look at what the four parts of EID offer us in times of crisis like these.

Affirmative Introspection tells us to take a look inside and recognize what brings us joy and what strengths have helped us get through difficult times in the past. Spend time asking yourself what rejuvenates and energizes you. Is it painting, writing or baking? Is it learning something new, listening to music, gardening or woodworking? Also, recall how you were able to deal with previous challenges. What strengths and skills helped you then? These same old friends can help you now.

Self-governance helps us deal with this incredible ambiguity by making sure our self-talk is affirming. Finding ways to reframe the situation so that your mental messages aren’t defeating is key.

“I can get through this” rather than “This is overwhelming.”

“I have the resilience to deal with this” rather than “I’m losing control.”

“I can live with not knowing” rather than “I need to know what to do.”

“I’m learning so much about myself and how to deal with tough challenges” rather than “I’m such a failure because I don’t know what to do.”

“I can get through this like I’ve gotten through other tough times” rather than “I can’t deal with this.”

Intercultural Literacy teaches us that empathy is the most powerful human connector, especially when we’re feeling disconnected and isolated. It’s important to remember what a Facebook post recently said, “We may all be experiencing the same storm but we are in different boats.” Think about how others might be experiences these times and what difficulties they may be facing. One of the best ways to deal with your own sense of despair, alienation and powerlessness is to reach out and help others.

Social Architecting helps us remember that we are social creatures who need connection. This is a skill that will be even more important as we gradually return to work. Creating inclusive environments in which there is flexibility, tolerance and adaptation to the different reactions of our coworkers will be a major focus as we think about returning. In the meantime, intentionally find ways to engage with others to dispel the feeling of aloneness. Even if you’re zoomed out, find other ways to connect and invite people to engage – a walk with a neighbor, a card to an old friend, a phone call to a relative or reaching out to a coworker who you haven’t connected with for awhile.

Perhaps the biggest message of all for us is to make sure that we are not emotional victims of Covid-19 by intentionally seeking to find the learning and the benefits. If you can articulate what you learned and what you are grateful for each day, you will remain resilient and positive even in the face of the most difficult times.