A NEW EARTH: HOW TO FACE THE CHANGE

By Oscar Ayala A.* - April 26, 2020

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What to expect from the world when the pandemic ends and what is our role as leaders in this key moment?

It is of special interest of leaders and change agents to discuss central aspects of what is going on with the pandemic and the envisioned perspectives when this situation is over: some foresee that we will be arriving to "a new Earth".

Why did all this come for? 

There are several views about possible causes:

- Deliberate actions with political and / or economic interests;

- Effects caused by human technological advances affecting our world;

- Self-regulation of the planet, let’s say “its reactions” to get back in balance;

- A mere accident, something that “just happened” with no particular reason or purpose;

- A corrective "divine" fact.

There is a lot of speculation and many of us have heard or read the prophecies of some individuals and the conspiracy theories that flood the news.

In any case, this is not something that we are going to discuss here. it is difficult and impractical to get hooked on speculation. If we do, we tend to get a side, get upset, our beliefs, health, relationships get compromised, and we might get invaded with fear, doubt, and anger, and looking for culprits.

So, instead, it is useful and practical for us to accept that this is something arranged by our Holly Father, the Universe, God, Life, the Force or whatever guiding principle that we believe in, and to assume that such force or entity is preparing us precisely for a further key phase in our lives.

How are we assuming this situation? 

I am not engaged in any particular Creed, but I am a spiritual person. In my experience of life, I have learned that everything that happens is aligned to provide a teaching, so in this regards, everything is perfect because it has a learning and advancing purpose. Those who believe in a universal source consider that times like these are very favorable circumstances that converge to practice fundamental spiritual teachings. These, voluntarily or forcedly support the evolution of consciousness and a great deal of individual change, for the better and therefore, collectively, for the whole planet. 

This is how my wife Yvonne and I, our kids and many people, folks from AIESEC and many others are assuming this experience. 

How and what are we doing?   

This is a unique opportunity to undertake individual changes that affect our families, neighborhoods, work and other related human groups, which in turn are getting affected and transforming the world. For instance, this is a great opportunity to recover our contact with our inner self, with Nature, living a more natural, simple and slower paced, “less intense” way of living; it is also an opportunity to improve our interconnection with others, at many levels.

Most of us, probably all here, are very fortunate and enjoy a great or a good standard of life. But that is not the case of many in our world. These are times where living is still difficult and unfair for many. We will become a "Great Humanity" in a higher stage of evolution only when we become closer and helpful for others and when each of us changes in fundamental, yet very simple ways.

No doubt that we must stop fighting, to quiet our minds, take away doubts and fears and face that this is an opportunity to transform our life and others’: this is a very accelerated and intensive stage of individual and collective learning, a space to reflect and examine our level of acceptance, understanding and redirection our free will. It may well be an opportunity to examine and, if necessary, fully reassess what we are doing with our lives and our priorities, our relationships with others, the economy and with everything we do.

It is time for realization, for taking full charge and responsibility in our fundamental choices.

How do we help ourselves and others?  

First, we must strive to balance bad news with good news. Achievements and progress within the fight Vs the pandemic must be shared and published more; get new habits, for example, better eating, get daily exposure to sun light, turning up towards natural, healthy food, get hydrated to better raise the body's immune defenses. Quiet our minds with relaxation and meditation techniques, enjoy taking care of pets, harvest plants and enjoy contact with nature. Let’s sleep well, 8 hours a day, read good books, write, watch inspiring movies and videos, listen to good music, dance, exercise arts, play an instrument, sing, exercise poetry, paint, draw mandalas, etc. 

Stay away from harmful substances and disturbing sites at cable stations and the internet; stay away from electromagnetic radiations (cell phones, Wi-Fi, microwave antennas, electric motors, etc.) increase gatherings with family members, virtual socializing with friends, colleagues and peers in multiple formats.

From a spiritual side, I understand Spirituality as the ability to connect to something Higher than myself, which also helps me to sustain inner peace despite the circumstances; each one beliefs depend on location, social circumstances, culture, education, family traditions and creed which provide us with "guidelines on trascendence". Many of us may have learned techniques for quieting the mind and achieving body relaxation through prayer, breathing, draw mandalas, yoga, asanas, Tai-Chi and other frequently used techniques, can be used to get deeper into ourselves; we might sustain, increase or incorporate some of these as key habits of living.

Science has proven that we all are a part of an interconnected and interdependent system, we support and care for others and in turn, depend on many others to survive. The confinement experience is showing us the great value and meaning of caring for ourselves and for many others. We are appreciating how others care for us and we are starting to realize the tremendous manifestations of nature, now that we are not affecting it so much.

We cannot cross our arms in the face of the critical situation of our fellow human beings. It is the opportunity to open ourselves to others and serve what our brothers need most. Let’s join and do charity, get food, medicines and supplies for those who are in need.

We must support the commitment of companies to maintain the greatest number of jobs possible, perhaps by decreasing the expected returns on capital in the short and medium term, and by promoting temporary reductions in high and medium wages, (that has been successfully done in the past)..

This represents an opportunity to consolidate citizen networks to support informal and unemployed workers, not to promote welfare, so damaging to the individual growth, but to provide short term relief. It is also very important to provide them with moral and spiritual support. This is what leaders, change agents and committed folks do.

Positive and responsible handling of information is critical. For example, we cannot highlight the numbers of infected and deceased people and not publish the recoveries. Poorly managed and biased info must be thrown out .

Let's avoid sticking 24/7 to the news and all stories coming out on the news and networks, avoid speculation and even less, do not replicate or spread it. We cannot allow ourselves to be infected with pessimism and fatalism; lets avoid connecting with low-frequency people and sensationalists, advocates of conspiracy theories, and witch hunters.

We must defeat fear, the great enemy here. Here’s one thing: fear is particularly disturbing when we do not know ourselves pretty well, that is when we are not fully aware of the true wonder that we are, the kind of source of light that lays within us. Therefore, if we have not done so, it is highly recommended to practice techniques of Self Observation, Self-Awareness and Self-Management, which allow us to get to know who we truly are and our real potential.

This knowledge is very powerful, really transforming and may fill us with energy and self-confidence which in turn changes our perspectives in many respects, fears disappear and we can experience that when our inner self changes, everything outside change.

The process is pretty simple. Since childhood we have learned everything we are supposed to need. Through life we have realized that there are Light and Shadow within us, genuine passions and talents, and that it is up to us to decide whether we open our light to others or cast our shadow on them. That decision is in us, but first we need to recognize our light and our shadow and then consciously decide to reflect that in our thoughts, feelings and actions.

We will decide if we will exercise Leadership or wrath, abuse and revenge; We will be Balance or lazyness and indolence; we will be Perfection or acid criticism; Genuine loving support for others or just vanity and manipulation; we′ll we be the Effective Action or only greed and empty facades; will we bring Creativity and Difference or complaint and envy; we’ll we be Helpful Wisdom or petty empty pontification; will exercise Loyal Courage or cowardly fear; Enthusiasm and Energy or excessive gluttony…

Mastering our impulses and instincts depend on how much we truly know ourselves and how we modulate Light and Shadow. This confinement represents a great opportunity for performing exercises of Self-Awareness. In any case, it is an opportunity to review everything we do, our passions, talents, fears, desires, and perhaps, if we wish, review our direction and reinvent ourselves. I find it imperative to do so because it is evident that, in the big picture, we are not achieving a world of harmony devoid of suffering.

What’s expected for Businesses and ways of working  

In business and in the ways of working, many concepts are being re-evaluated:

• Consumer savings are expected to grow and a much more cautious and rational decision making for the spending will be observed.
• Health and Personal Care businesses first: fitness & health care, body care, hospital, surgical and medical devices, personal hygiene, nutritional foods, protective vests and clothing, household disinfection, home cleaning, laundry products, vaccines, nutraceutical products, supplements, pharmaceutics will be at the top of the line.
• It is impossible to ignore that close to half of the population of the world still has unsatisfied basic needs, which affects human dignity and peaceful coexistence. Therefore, it is imperative to redirect many businesses and technologies to close the existing gap in items such as housing, clean water, drugs and quality food, sanitation services, electricity, sewage and garbage disposal, better education services, medical assistance services, etc. Big sales, growth, profits, SOM numbers are subject to revaluation, the emphasis for innovation efforts should be redirected: more relevant business purposes, objectives and strategies should be determined. Employee’s attitudes, talents, concerns, interests and working competences are expected to experience a sound change.
• Nature must be respected. Not much to add to this, it seems that the arrival of the sustainable business era is nearer. Big shakes in the fossil energy business, plastics, automobile and transportation businesses are expected.
• Virtual communication systems, channels and stations, e-commerce, entertainment and cultural broadcast channels, apps. and games, delivery systems will sky rocket.
• Competition will be replaced by cooperation, solidarity, alliances and teamwork even with former competitors.
• Much of the work will be performed remotely and in a more flexible manner; business spaces and the flow of transportation for work reasons will decrease; work will be carried out virtually from homes, through virtual communication, experiences and virtual voice, image and data transmission; on line gatherings, business meetings, education classes, guided tours, concerts, sports tournaments will turn to on line transmissions; virtual commerce personalized delivery of goods will grow enormously.
• Many businesses will be redesigned. For instance, tourism and travel agencies, shops, department stores, supermarkets, hotels, clubs, bars, stadiums, museums, entertainment lounges, restaurants, airlines, car rental firms amongst others, by force must review their businesses formats by establishing new ways to do business and deliver their services according to new preferences of the consumers.
• So, within this new scheme, what could become the real new purpose of businesses? Could it be “pursuing people’s well being and health”?
• In the same token, will nations finally get to focus on achieving Common Good for their citizens?  

These are some of the fundamental business changes that could derived out of this pandemic.

Will these changes be permanent?

Perhaps this situation may speed up the "big change" that many folks were calling for. Let us hope that this pandemic contributes to shape a human “critical mass”, a sufficient number of people who align themselves in thinking, feeling and acting towards a substantial change in the way we do things. What if instead of few people focused on the issue of change, we become hundreds of thousands, billions?

If we do not achieve a permanent change -as could happen in many big firms and corporations that may change for a while, but later resume their previous customs and practices- maybe it will not be the end of the world. Instead, it may only mean that we miss another opportunity to reinvent ourselves, to build the "new Earth", something that would make our short stay on this planet more meaningful, fulfilling and happy.

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* Oscar Ayala Arana is a Colombian economist, consultant, lecturer and coach. Ex-official of Johnson & Johnson Corporation in Colombia and Ecuador for over 29 years. Former member of AIESEC, current ALUMNI and AIESEC International Senior Member. 

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/oscar-ayala-arana-443aa31/ e-mail: [email protected]

Picture: Courtesy of The Guardian