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Kim Potgieter
– Brené Brown
The reality of Covid-19 is setting in. It’s not something that will go away any time soon, and the novelty of staying home is starting to wear out. Added to the frustration of not being able to move around freely and doing things the way we’ve always done them before, we are overwhelmed with new and frightening emotions. We are worried, we are fearful and we are grieving. And it’s scary. We are asked to adapt to a new pace, in a world where many feel lost and alone, and we are asked to be brave.
While we are trying our best to navigate the new norm, a new way of life, we are constantly bombarded with a relentless flood of information. Are you starting to feel fatigued by all the messages, newsfeeds and stories on social media? I know I am. But still, we are desperately searching for answers, certainty and direction, so we continue to read, watch and listen. And it’s normal. We are thinking, feeling human beings, and we gather information to make sense of our surroundings; to give us a sense of control.
Unfortunately, we stand the risk of entering an information overload crisis. We’re struggling to separate reliable information from fake news, and there is so much despair and desperation on a global scale that’s it’s becoming hard to make sense of all the loss and anguish. This adds to our anxiety and fatigue, and in fact, makes us feel even more powerless.
I want to remind you to dig deep when things get tough. You are stronger than you think, and all of us have our own internal guiding light to pave the way and light up our path through dark times. Brené Brown says that our values light our way as we move through life. Being clear on your values is not a simple exercise. It forces you to look deep into your behaviours, your thoughts, emotions, feelings and judgement, to see what they reveal about your values. It requires a new look at your values, prioritising them and then realigning to live according to them.
Your values light your path; it clarifies direction and provides your with the best answers on going forward. I redid Brené Brown’s Lantern exercise to guide my path this weekend. If you’re needing to go inside for insight, click here to access the exercise and my interpretation of it. I have found it a great way to re-centre (making sense of where I’m at,) to re-calibrate my strengths and beliefs and to decide what I want to take with me into this new world. It reminded me to rely on my values and to live true to them.
Wishing you a clear path and a bright, shining lantern to show the way,
Kim
