The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, The Finale

This year has been quite the blur.

If you're like me, you've looked at your calendar each morning expecting it to be March 30-something just for the unpleasant reminder of how these days, weeks, months, and seasons have completely flown by.

If you're also like me, you've genuinely tried your best over the last several months to build a fundamental life routine.

Balancing the complexity of professional, home, and social lives during this environment has become somewhat of a job, or perhaps even a burden, within itself.

And of course, there's no playbook, no X's and O's, for this... How can we realistically keep ourselves safe, grounded, informed, engaged, or productive when our socio-political, economic, and cultural world is on fire?

And for what it's worth, (again, if you're like me) obsessive doom scrolling on Twitter is far from the cure here, even if it's the first impulse or compulsion that we have to immerse ourselves on the state of the world.

But here we are, the week of Thanksgiving...that time once a year when Americans get together with their loved ones to reflect on what they're most appreciative of.

And while this holiday will certainly be different, what if this year, we make the effort for appreciation and thankfulness to extend beyond our over-stuffed plates of turkey and apple pie?

In what will be my final installment of the "Audible - Pivoting at the Line" series, I'm taking a step away from our marketing, technology, and business world to focus on how Gratitude can be used as the championship play call at life's goal line.

-- --

Like millions of other people, I struggle with anxiety disorder and other mental health complexities every day. Those that manage their own mental health symptoms understand that few things can be as dangerous to your health and wellness as overwhelming stress.

Frankly, few things have proven to be more stressful than the combination of the health, economic, political, and cultural crises that 2020 has gifted us.

So how can gratitude be our Audible call - the pivot at the line of scrimmage - to help shape a happier, more fulfilling and peaceful life during such a stressful and challenging time?

Recently, as part of my mindfulness routine, I tuned into Tamara Levitt, Head of Content for the Calm app, on the topic of gratitude. Here's what resonated most with me to help answer that question:

"When we focus on that of which we are grateful, it widens our perspective. When we're caught in stress or despair, we often develop tunnel vision, and are only able to focus on the negative. Gratitude helps us see the bright side of things amidst the challenges. It enables us to appreciate our circumstances and all that we have...rather than what we lack."

Below are some of the ways that gratitude has helped me navigate the troubled waters of 2020:

Add up the little things - sometimes, the smallest things in our life are what put the biggest smiles on our faces. If we start enjoying those little moments more, we'll be in search of more them, leading to positive energy and a happier disposition.

Here are a couple of those little things for me that I've become especially grateful for:

• My dog: let's face it...no one has benefited more from the pandemic than our pups and that's especially true for Yogi, my one and a half-year-old (70 pound) golden doodle. He has been incredible for my stress level and the simplicity of walking him or petting him between calls is something my current circumstance has afforded me.

• "Cheffing it up" from the WFH kitchen: I've taken full advantage of being forced to cook every meal from home. As I've experimented with everything from homemade Pad Thai to diner-style french onion soup from scratch, this environment let's me treat myself every day.

Convert adversity into opportunity - the pandemic forced my wife and I to relocate out of New York City. Like many in the fashion world, my wife's role was directly impacted, but, the day we moved, I made a toast to "in five years, let's remember this being the best thing that ever happened to us."

Here's how we're making the best of it:

• Taking a life break: living in New York, it was difficult to truly escape the hustle. We're using this opportunity to perhaps take a pause from the chaos, enjoy each other's company, and are grateful to find more peace and calm in a completely new way.
• Exploring: now that we live in a more rural, summer community, we're finding ourselves more adventurous than ever. We're on the lookout for new covid (and dog)-friendly activities that allow us to actually appreciate this sudden life change rather than focus on how we miss the lifestyles we had before it.

Surround yourself with positivity: it's easy to get sucked into the daunting nature of the world we live in, so seeking out positive influences and energy is as important as ever.

• Keep your close friends even closer: In Part 4, we discussed the importance of staying connected. But more-so now, I find myself keeping a much tighter knit of communication with my closest friends, allowing me to be more grateful for the positive influences in my life.
• Balance the news with with the mindless: binging episodes of The Office and Impractical Jokers has never been so therapeutic. I find myself getting excited to escape the world with things that will simply make me laugh.

Finally, it really isn't said enough, but take a minute to breathe! Be grateful for a moment to pause, to ground yourself, and to take in the world. After all, according to Harvard Health, breathing is one of the most impactful techniques for relaxation, focus, and stress relief.

-- --

As we wrap up The Audible series, I want to leave behind a quote that will always help us pivot at the line:

“Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” - John Wooden, 10x NCAA Basketball Champion Coach

Thank you all who have read, contributed, and engaged with The Audible! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and I'm looking forward to remaining connected as we all pivot at the line.