The year was circa 1991 and my 5th grade class read the book a Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I looked forward to Reading each day because we were transformed on this journey that the main character Meg leads. The idea that this young girl was traveling through space and time was so fascinating to me. My teacher would describe the phenomenon as bringing point A to point B. There were so many colorful characters along the journey but I never forgot the characters Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who, who were “helpers” or guides along the journey. Today I wonder if art was imitating life or is life now imitating art?
We have completed week 5 or 6 ( I think) of the Shelter in Place here in Texas, which has felt like the eternal pause. I can’t help but reflect of the concept of folding time. What would a wrinkle in time look like during Covid-19? However, we are starting with a plot twist, we aren’t able to eliminate the middle, there is no bringing point A to point B. That is where many of us are the middle , which feels like a holding area. So what do you do with what feels like endless about of time? I would suggest starting with employing your own Ws to guide you. Meg had Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which. So how can we adopt this for our use today?
Let's start with Who- Who do you want to be during and after Covid-19 is over? Do you want to operate in fear? Challenge yourself to not let this time pass without Learning what the purpose of COVID-19 is for you? Or switch your mindset and shift to Growth mindset? Have you noticed that you are forwarding or posting every message you receive about the pandemic? Hoarding things you don’t need? Well you may be operating in fear. If you can pause, stop consuming what is hurting you from messages to food you can move to the learning zone. Once you shift from thinking about your self 24 hours a day, you can move to considering others. You can begin to
explore how to make your talents available to you and others, we can get to growth with the space and time we have.
Which path do you choose- what does the new normal look like for you and your family? We have all heard of the 21/90 rule dubbed by Tony Robbins . The concept is based on starting small but thinking big. So if you commit to healthy actions for 21 days you can create new habits. Keep pushing and in 90 days you will have a lifestyle change. Over this past 6 weeks I have reflected on all the webinars, podcast, self help books I have consumed.I took inventory of was holding me back from considering what I needed to do and actually being motivated to act was … you guessed it -TIME. Well now that excuse is removed for all of us. So which goal are you choosing to finally achieve? Start small, be intentional and be consistent.
Accept What is- Adjust your gaze! Focus only on what is front of you and do that well. If thinking too far in the future stresses you out, you may want to scale back. You cannot control that and there are too many variable you don’t know today. But No matter how big or small- Now is the time to set goals, take inventory of things and make a personal prioritization chart, not for a work project or anyone else but you. You have heard the aphorism- "It is what is?” Well acknowledge What is and accept some things don’t have to be. You know exactly what I am talking about. You can do something about, “that". You just have to get started.
Often when we think about leading, we think about leading others. We have a new dynamic, heck many firsts. We have to accept that what is and what isn’t in our control.
Where does one start?
I want to suggest starting with yourself. Seem too simple? Actually that may be the hardest thing to do when motivation shifts and distractions increase. Use these Ws to help you lead during the pause because it is just a wrinkle in time.