How are you doing? I imagine, like me, many of you are feeling a tad off-balance. I want you to know that it’s OK. It’s perfectly normal to feel a bit (maybe even a lot!) wobbly. Be gentle with yourself.
I want to remind you that you have some superpowers that you may or may not be aware of having. You can absolutely activate these powers at any time and I’ll show you how at the end of this post. Seems to me that this is an excellent time to tap into your superpowers.
Your first superpower is Wisdom. I think of it as your overarching superpower. You were born with it. You could think of it as that “gut feeling” or your intuition. You could think of it as that which brings about your “aha” moments. It’s your “knowing”. It helps you navigate this crazy, unpredictable life. It is always, always available to you. Sometimes it is quite obscure and you simply must wait for the crazy to settle.
Your second superpower is Resilience. You are resilient. Homo sapiens have existed for around 200,000 years. Against overwhelming odds, humans have survived and even thrived for millennia. You are of that lineage. You’ve seen it time and again in your own life. Look back and take note of all the times you’ve been resilient.
A third superpower is Adaptability. It may be that you haven’t exercised that power in a while, but you come by it naturally. Humans are adaptable. You are capable of making the changes this pandemic calls for.
A fourth superpower is Courage. You are courageous! Courage is not a feeling. It is the ability to do something that frightens you. You feel the fear but you continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty. You’ve done it many times! It could be useful for you to take a few moments to note some of the ways in which you’ve been courageous over the course of your lifetime. You might be pleasantly surprised and encouraged.
You also have a superpower called Innovation. As Plato reminds us, necessity is the mother of invention. In times of need, humans are quite innovative and creative in getting their needs met. I bet you can look back over your life and find several examples of being innovative in times of need.
Resourcefulness is yet another superpower that you have. You are already finding this to be true as you live through this pandemic. I, for example, am using ¼ of the toilet paper I’m accustomed to using. I bet you are finding yourself being resourceful, too. Take note of how you are doing this. Again, noticing your superpowers has a way of helping you access more of your superpowers.
Two other superpowers you have are Flexibility and Being Ok with the Unknown. Truly, you have always lived in the unknown, you’ve just convinced yourself that you did know. None of us has ever known what the next moment will bring. We convince ourselves otherwise to give us a sense of safety and security. The truth is, you’ve been just fine living moment to moment all along. In fact, as author and coach Jamie Smart says, you’re built for the reality of this present moment.
You know, inherently, how to be flexible, how to pivot in the moment. You already do it every single day as interruptions occur. Perhaps you haven’t been aware of how flexible you already are but you do it all the time.
Listen, the human brain doesn’t code the good things like it does the bad things. We have a tendency to overlook the positive and zero in on the negative. Neuroscientists call this the negativity bias. It's an adaptive trait of human psychology that served us well when we were being chased by saber tooth tigers 10,000 years ago.
Neuroscientist Rick Hanson, in his book Buddha’s Brain, writes, "Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones." Seeing the negative is an old habit deeply embedded in our brainstem and cerebellum or what is commonly known as the reptilian brain.
We know that the neurons that fire together wire together so what can we do to over-ride our negativity bias and tap into our superpowers? We can use awareness and intention.
First, you can notice your negativity bias. Practice catching yourself spinning stories of doom. Catch yourself when you are only reading about the horror of the pandemic. Notice how much time you spend in worry and fear of the future.
Secondly, intentionally seek out the good, the true, and the beautiful. Think of one thing you're grateful for right this moment. Your health, family, animal friend, nature, home, etc.
Thirdly, wire those positive neurons together. Rick Hanson calls this the act of savoring. I love this. It’s what I’ve done with the owls I’ve been watching for the last week. I don’t simply glance at them as I’m walking by, no, I seek them out and savor them. I stay with them for 15-30 minutes. I photograph them and view their images repeatedly at home when I need a little boost of joy.
When we take time to notice the good, the true, and the beautiful, we encode those feelings deep in our brains and we are able to more easily access our superpowers. More ease, flow, and peace will follow, even in the midst of a pandemic.
MY WORK AS A COACH focuses on helping people move through anxiety. This is my wheelhouse.
As a result of the unfolding COVID-19 situation, I am offering single sessions at no charge for those who are anxious about the current state of affairs.
This is a sincere offer. I want to help and I know that supporting you will help me stay calm and grounded. I need you, too!
So, please, contact me up. I can help.
I learned a long time ago to ask for help. Please don’t hesitate to ask. There will be no charge for this call.
You are not alone. ❤️
Carla Royal, M.Ed.
Professional Life & Business Coach