Change is Among Us: Adapting to COVID-19 or Else..

Panic. Fear. Uncertainty. Worry. Aggression. Regression. Isolation...Change.

Thanks to Covid-19 AKA the Coronavirus, this incredible floating rock we call home is experiencing much of the aforementioned. Two weeks ago life resembled a sense of normalcy but the rug has been swiftly removed from under our feet leading us, as a society, into a free-fall towards the unknown.

"Fear of the unknown may be a, or possibly the, fundamental fear underlying anxiety and therein neuroticism." (Carlton, 2016)

The process of change has never been easy for society. Take a look at any major shift that has occurred over the years and you'll find panic and unrest. But, if you look closer, you'll also find that there were those that faired well during change. They somehow have avoided coming out on the other end of change looking bloodied and beat up but instead victorious and better off. How is this possible? What did they do differently than others?

They adapted...and quickly.

Adaptation in the face of change is essential for survival. Companies large and small, communities, organizations, educational systems, and individuals must make a swift strategic shift in order to come out ahead of this pandemic we are facing.

Allow me to explain and provide an example; When a plan or strategy is set into motion towards achieving a specific goal that we have identified for ourselves, it's important to recognize that our intended strategy towards achieving that goal will not always go as planned. Roadblocks, difficulties, and unforeseen challenges will arise that, if we are inflexible in our process and planning, will completely derail us from achieving a favorable result. Instead, if we adopt new strategies to account for these difficulties, we can still continue moving forward on a path that will ultimately achieve the goal we initially planned for. According to Strategic Analysts, these are called "emergent strategies."

In 1805, a British fleet of war ships were heavily outnumbered by Napoleon's French and Spanish fleet. Napoleon's goal was to cut-off Britain's commerce in Trafalgar in order to better position his army for a cross-channel invasion. Horatio Nelson, the Admiral in charge of the British fleet, had to make a decision. Does he stick to the standard tactic most commonly used in naval warfare where the two fleets stand in parallel opposition of each other, firing back and forth until one side is defeated...or does he adapt? In a stroke of strategic genius, he recognized that his initial plan of attack was going to lead to his outnumbered fleet's demise so he formulated a new one on the fly but kept the same ultimate ultimate goal of forcing Napoleon's fleet into retreat in mind. Nelson ordered his ships to split into two columns, drove them around Napoleon's fleet, and had the British fleet attack them perpendicularly knowing that the individual Spanish-Franco ships being attacked could not withstand this type of concentrated fire power. In the end, the Spanish-Franco fleet lost two thirds of their ships while the British, well, they lost zero ships.

Our lives, and the plans we had for the foreseeable future, have been interrupted. Similar to Horatio Nelson's situation, there is nothing we can do to change that. It's happening so the question we must ask ourselves is "how do we adapt our plan in order to keep our goals on track?"

First, it starts with recognizing the individual challenges we are facing. Horatio Nelson recognized that his naval fleet was vastly outnumbered and surely could not defeat his opponent through traditional tactics. As for us, we are limited in traveling long and short distances, much of our work must be done from home, some of us have lost our jobs or the ability to earn money in the way we were previously, physically attending school has been cancelled for our children, social distancing is now a thing and it it requires us to limit face-to-face interactions with our peers and loved ones, toilet paper is a form of rare currency, and so on. We all have our common challenges in the face of COVID-19 as well as our own set of unique challenges to now overcome.

Next, we must take inventory of our situation in relation to these challenges. Admiral Nelson realized that his ships do, in fact, have the fire power to defeat Napoleon's weaker ships if he could could even the playing field. In our situation, we have to ask ourselves, can our job be done at home? Are there companies in our industry looking for temporary employees to assist during this time? Is our internet strong enough to handle online schooling? Do we have access to FaceTime, Zoom, and/or Skype? Does our family? Are our local stores restocking bathroom tissue on a regular basis and how much do I currently have?

Finally, we must take action. The easy thing for the British fleet to do would have been to just stay afloat where they were and hope for the best but instead, they mobilized. They saw an opportunity to still achieve their original goal by tweaking their initial strategy and then went for it.

When we look at our situation in its' totality, it's overwhelming to the point of being paralyzing. But, if we take the time to evaluate each area of our life being affected, one at a time, it suddenly becomes easier to see a way to cope. Are things going to look the same for us moving forward over the next few weeks (and possibly months)? No, but I don't think that they have to look that different either. Most of the issues we are facing are going to require us to get creative and find a new variation - or emergent strategy - for our everyday lives. Can we go meet in public to get coffee with a friend? No, but we can have coffee at home and FaceTime them while having the same conversation. Can we go to a public gym? No, but we utilize the amazing technology we have at our fingertips to workout at home or a park (as long as we're 6-feet from each other).

Remember, there is a solution to every problem, not a problem to every solution. Take a deep breath and be solution orientated. Remember to support those around you and be of service wherever and whenever possible. I guarantee we will all get through this one way or another. Life may be different for all of us in the future but human beings are a resilient bunch that have been through much worse. And I've got news for you, if you're reading this, you're one of those resilient human beings I'm talking about.

Stay in the moment. Don't lament about how things used to be or worry about what hasn't happened yet. Look at each change that arises and say "ok, this is happening and it's out of my control. How can I make this work?" Then take action.

If you need someone to talk to during this difficult time, Next Level Recovery Associates are offering Online Coaching packages at a discount with their Certified Life Coaches. Working through fear, recognizing and overcoming faulty inner beliefs, designing attainable action plans, and mindfulness guidances are just some of the services they are offering online right now.

To Book a Consultation Call: https://nextlevelrecoveryassociates.com/book-us

Carleton, R. N. (2016, March 29). Fear of the unknown: One fear to rule them all? Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887618516300469