Are you feeling like you’re surviving in lockdown? Or do you feel like you’re Thriving? Or are you somewhere in the middle?
I’ll walk you through 4 Steps to go from Surviving to Thriving during these challenging times!
It’s an important topic to talk about as everyone is going through this now. Everyone is in lockdown or isolation, and we’re all having to change. I want you to know that you are not alone.
1. Why is it important to 'not Just Survive'!
Let’s start by talking Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, where surviving is at the bottom of his needs pyramid. It includes, food and thoughts around are you getting enough food? Are you able to get shelter? Do you have a roof over your head? These are basic survival mechanisms.
There’s a lot of people in this situation, feeling like they’re in ‘basic survival mode’. And sadly, some people aren’t getting their needs met.
Some people who, even though they have the roof over their head, finances to support, and are also able to put food on the table, may feel like they’re in survival mode. This happens when the body goes into ‘fight flight freeze’ mode. Watching negative or heartbreaking TV or hearing about negative experiences, having conversations with family and friends about the challenges they’re experiencing, not being able to interact with family and friends – all of these situations can put you into that ‘fight flight freeze’ mode. This may also be that feeling of ‘being stuck’ or not knowing what to do and even procrastinating – feeling like you’re in a basic survival or fear mode.
It’s important to move out of that Survival mode so that you can start to be productive, made decisions, start taking action and feel well within yourself with your family.
Many of my clients are coming to see feeling helpless and hopeless – stuck in that fight flight freeze mode. And it’s been difficult for them to move forward in their life and work.
So, it’s important to move beyond ‘survival’ and being ‘stuck’ to thriving so that you can function, contribute in the world and be well.
2. It is actually possible to thrive?
YES, it IS possible to thrive, even when all this stuff is going on in the world!
This is my personal and professional perspective. If you’re able to release emotions and fear associated with surviving, then you can start to move towards thriving. It’s something that I have been able to do (during this current isolation & lockdown period) and it’s something that my clients have been able to do also.
I’ve helped a number of clients who, when we first jump on a call, after lockdown started and they have been able to step into thriving. Like you, they’re in lockdown/isolation, and experiencing new circumstances, their children are at home with them, their partners are at home with them, and they’re all working in the same home environment.
The lockdown experience is really challenging and many of my clients have been in that survival mode, but they have been able to get out of that survival mode very quickly. And then they’ve been able to use many empowering tools and techniques to support themselves to continue the process following our sessions together.
So YES, you can move through survival into thriving.
The 4 steps to get your towards Thriving
So, the question you might ask is, ‘How can you actually do that’? And ‘What are the steps to help me get to thriving’. Here is my four step process;
Step 1 - Intention Setting
The first step is to create an intention around kindness and compassion for yourself.
Know, that you’re are not alone, others are going through this challenging time as well. Don’t be hard on yourself for feeling the way that you do.
Step 2 – Acknowledgement
Step two is about acknowledgement. Acknowledge that this is a BIG change! A change for your family, a huge change for society, for your communities, and for you.
Acknowledge that change is difficult, and we humans don’t like change. We like structure and we like routine.
Step 3 – Identify
Step three, is about identifying where you are on what I’ve called the Lockdown Loop. This loop’s expanded from the Stages of Grieving concept.
I was talking to a client about ‘lockdown’ and I realised I felt I’d been moving through ‘stages’ over the last few weeks.
What stage are you in right now? (More details of the stages are discussed in the video)
1) Denial
2) Anger
3) Bargaining
4) Depression
5) Acceptance
6) Guilt
7) Thriving
step 4 - Inspired Action
Once you’ve identified where you are on the Lockdown Loop, you can take Inspired Action towards the next stage. Then the next stage and then the next, until you get to Thriving!
It’s all about moving one step closer thriving. When you’re at that surviving level and layer, thriving might seem like it’s so far away, and probably doesn’t feel achievable. So, identifying where you are in the loop, identifying the next step and thinking about how you can get there with inspired action.
So HOW can you take inspired action?
Inspired action is, taking action by choosing action that is inspiring to you. If you take action for the sake of taking action, and it’s not inspiring, you’re less likely to achieve your outcome!
Inspiring acting might include:
- Tapping (Learn it for yourself with my short course HERE).
- Create a routine for yourself
- Talk with a partner / family and creating plans and making changes that work for all
- Seek help and support from a trained and professional practitioner (I’m HERE for you)
For more details on the inspiring actions, watch the video.
