VIPI?
How are you, my friend?
No, I don’t mean the standard “how are you” greeting which calls for standard “fine”
I mean the kind that looks you right in the eyes and asks the question, expecting a genuine, thoughtful answer.
So, HOW ARE YOU?
We have gone through a lot. A lot has happened, and different people are impacted in different ways. These past few years have been coming at us as though they are very angry with us.
From COVID 19, to the global economic crisis, to the Russia-Ukraine situation, and if you are in Uganda, Ebola had to come in at this time as well!
It feels like the proverbial
‘asking a man with elephantiasis for a scrotum to take on small pox as well!’ – Chinua Achebe.
But honestly, when things fall apart, we see the things we never anticipated happening.
Yet, at the end of it all, we want to be here—alive and sane.
So how can we not just survive the ongoing crazy happenings in the world but thrive through everything and emerge greater at the end of it all?
Acknowledge Your Feelings.
What are you anxious about at this time? When you don’t identify and acknowledge your feelings, you take on the superhuman mentality of all is well, there is nothing wrong, no problem, I’m fine and such other feelings.
What this does however, is keep you in denial never dealing with the issues that you are faced with and finding peace with them.
In the end, a lot will pile up and it will be difficult to sort through everything that has been piling on you emotionally. It’s time to answer the how are you question more thoughtfully and be clear what your actual feelings are.
So, HOW ARE YOU?
Identify Your Assets.
What do you have? We all have different assets to help us wade through challenges. For some, it may be strong family support, for others it may be a good network of friend or an understanding employer, a workplace family, your faith and your religious community or your financial stability.
Whatever it is that gives you the support you need to go through the current challenges, please identify it and work at it more and more.
So, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?
Clarify Your Goals
What do you want? What do you want to achieve at this time?
When you are clear what you are trying to achieve, you spend your energy and time working at it, you are consumed by your goal instead of focusing on the things that are threatening you. Its important at this time to be clear what you want to achieve whether in business, in your career or in your family and to continue working at it relentlessly.
So, WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Clarify Your Commitment
How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal?
When you are focusing on a goal whether big or small at a time when everything looks gloomy, you need another layer of skin. You need to not listen to discouragement. You need to be willing to spend it all, risk it all, stretch it all to achieve it all.
Are you willing to work hard, push yourself outside your comfort zone and take risks in order to achieve your goal?
So HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE?
Separate Real Challenges From Unfounded Fear.
At such a time when so much is going wrong in the world, fear is asserting itself beyond reason. Fear can magnify the challenges in your face and make them seem bigger than they actually are. It is therefore important for you to clarify whether the fears you are dealing with are actually justified or not.
A lot of the fear we are dealing with is triggered by all the negative news that we are consuming daily. It’s important to be aware and separate actual threats from assumed ones.
So, WHAT ARE YOUR REAL CHALLENGES?
Ask For Help.
Who can help you reach your goal or overcome your challenge? In a world full of more than 7 billion people, its not okay to die alone. There are good people out there who have a solution for what you are trying to figure out or who have what you are looking for. There are good people willing to help you. You only need to ASK.
Trying to be self-sufficient will only cause you to re-invent the wheel, spending effort, energy, time, money where someone already has a solution.
So, WHO WILL YOU ASK FOR HELP?
These TIPS will help you simplify your life and thrive even in the face of the current uncertainty.
All the best.