Last week I consumed more than I intended from the media and was inundated with information. I took it all in, and I felt as though I had been hit in the head with a brick. My definition of privilege suddenly expanded beyond anything I had ever even considered… and I crashed. To be able to even think about growing my business, to stay home and isolated with my little ones, to do work I love without in-person interactions and so many other things… is the epitome of privilege right now.
I felt guilty.
I felt sad.
I felt ashamed.
I felt lost.
I felt scared.
So I stepped away and took the time to be grateful. To remind myself that yes, I am privileged. Yes, I am blessed. Yes, my situation is not the same as everyone else’s. When I did this, I remembered a valuable lesson… I can feel all of those feelings about these things, AND I can still feel good about moving forward and growing my business or enjoying moments with my little family. It’s up to me to decide how I handle this situation.
Maria Sirois, one of the amazing positive psychology teachers I have been lucky enough to work with and learn from at Wholebeing Institute, teaches that there is power in the ‘AND.’ She explains that there is a duality in how you experience life—where there is darkness, there also is light. You can experience sorrow AND love. You can be angry AND still have moments of joy. You can feel grief AND yet have a deep-rooted seed of hope. The ‘AND’ is always there should you choose to look for it. When you do, the ‘AND’ can help you shift from negative thought patterns to more positive ones… helping us increase our resilience and continue to move forward, even in the most challenging times.
So yes, I still feel scared, sad, guilty… even ashamed… AND I also feel hopeful and even proud of how far I’ve come.
I will continue to choose to grow my business. Without the AND, I would have forgotten how certain I am that this is what I should be doing. I would have lost sight of the fact that when I grow my business, it means I’m helping more people. When I help more people, that’s more people who can be home, who can do the work they love, and who can provide for themselves and their loved ones.
These moments will keep happening as we continue to move through this time… some will be more difficult than others. But, when you look for the ‘AND,’ you may find the light and goodness you need to propel yourself forward. You may be able to note your privilege and perhaps choose to do something positive with it.
Just imagine what would happen if those of us who have the capacity, the circumstances, and the capabilities to move forward and continue to thrive could step up as authentic leaders? What if we took the time to practice our resilience and, in turn, helped others practice theirs? What if we took our privilege and found ways to serve the greater good?
Right now, there is loneliness and sadness, AND for some, there is still connection and joy. Each of us is in our own unique situations—what may seem frivolous to one may be exactly what another person needs. Your authentic voice, your uniqueness, your ‘AND’ may be precisely what someone needs to hear. In this moment, there is no one right way to move your business forward except your way. So when you can… show up, use your voice, establish your brand, share your experiences, put your offers out there and remind others there is an ‘AND’ on the other side.
