In the eye of a hurricane... Four weeks into the COVID new norm!

Growing up in Brazil, I had never experienced a hurricane until I moved to Miami about 20 years ago. In my first hurricane experience, I had just landed from a business trip and noticed the city anxious and people all over town were preparing for the upcoming storm.

As a single, road warrior consultant, I had nothing of substance in my refrigerator. I stocked-up on frozen Weight Watchers meals, confused as to why they were on sale and why the locals were buying ample amounts of water, bread and canned food! I arrived home, happy I had enough to last me for as long as I needed.

Come to find out, electricity was the first thing to go in a hurricane. My frozen food would not last long. I didn’t even have a flashlight. I was definitely not as ready as I thought I was! The rest of the story is quite interesting, but for another time. What’s important now is that I made it through those weeks stronger than before!

I had to learn by doing. I had to adapt in the moment. And I learned very quickly everything I needed to know about living through a hurricane. While I can vividly remember all of it, what I remember the most is the day it finally passed. The sky was stunning, and it was by far the most beautiful day of the year.

As I wrap-up week number four of the Working From Home (WFH) life, I cannot help but reflect back on those moments and the uncertainty I felt. I feel the world is settling into our new COVID-19 norm. That’s it! We adjusted! No big deal!

WFH while homeschooling our kids and sharing the wi-fi is stressful, but we have managed.

Social distancing is difficult, but we all learned we can find new and different ways to connect. I’ve also come to appreciate that social distance is a privilege as I learn more about the challenges developing countries are facing.

Daily bike rides, on-line yoga classes, family breakfast, lunches and dinners are simply phenomenal! 

As we adjust to the new norm and find ways to look at the bright side, we are learning that staying apart now is the path that will ultimately bring us together again.

Yet, I can’t help but believe we are in the eye of the hurricane. As Lin-Manuel Miranda brilliantly says, “In the eye of the hurricane there is quiet, for just a moment. A yellow sky!” 

And that’s exactly how I feel right now. Life seems great! The bond and time with family has been priceless. As I type-up this article after a long bike ride, my girls are singing and having fun – a side of them I usually only see for brief periods over the weekend.

At work, I am discovering a new side to myself. I find myself being more creative, strategic and agile than ever before. I find myself lucky to work at an organization whose culture is so ingrained within our people. I am proud of my teams for adapting with agility and rising to the occasion as we manage our spouses, children and new way of living.

However, I know that unfortunately this storm is not over yet. With an expected 195 million jobs to be lost or displaced over the coming weeks, we all look towards the future with anxiety about how our economy will recover. How will we rebuild from the storm that has taken us all by surprise?

How severe the other half of the hurricane will be is anyone’s guess at this point.

At times, I still feel just like that young professional who had no idea of what to grocery shop for my first hurricane experience. None of us have experienced a global pandemic. We don’t know how it plays out, particularly when an economic impact is also combined with profound changes in social behavior and the emotional loss of the ones closest to us.

I still don’t quite understand everything, and that is okay! We should never lose sight of the next and beyond, but also accept so much is unknown. Focus-in on and be mindful of what is within our control now. Positivity through these times can be the shining light so many of us desperately need.

I know this hurricane will pass, and when it does, we will experience the most beautiful day ever! A day where humanity will come together with joy and appreciation of all little things we underestimated before this global pandemic crisis. And for this day… I can hardly wait!