Update and Restart

How are you doing?

That is the question of the day. In these trying times, it is an important question to ask and it's an even more important question to answer. No more of the "great, and you?" responses. We need to really be open and honest with each other. People need to hear what is on your mind because it's probably on their mind too and they need to know that. You can do more good for them by being vulnerable and real.

So, for me this is my honest answer. I am OK, not great, but OK. I am scared for my community, my country and the world. This is not a fun time. However, I am trying to make the best of it.

How am I doing that? These are the things I am focusing on each day:

1. Check in on my family, friends and peers - We all need to feel connected to each other now. We are so fortunate to have technology available to shrink the world. We should use it. Text, Chat, eMail, Call - these are all things we need to use to stay connected. I have set aside time to connect to people. It helps me to hear from them more than it helps them, but they don't know that ;-).
2. Continue being my true self - I am usually the one who cracks a joke or keeps things light. The worst thing I can do is to stop that. Somber Jamie freaks people out. It also helps me. So, I let myself joke and have fun.
3. Focusing on the positive - Just like I am usually quick to make a light joke, I am also the one who generally gives a pretty good analysis on things. People seem to trust my opinions for some reason. I am proud of that and it can be a responsibility. I use that trust to focus them on the positive. I'm no Pollyanna, but there are positive things to look forward too. We will emerge from this stronger, I am certain of that. Also, I've gone ahead and scheduled events for later in the year so that people have things to look forward to. If you can't do an event now, don't cancel it, reschedule for June. Do things like that to give hope.

Those are some of the tactical things I am doing, but if you know me I always have a strategic side too. So, what am I doing strategically for myself? I am taking this opportunity to Update and Restart.

When you shut down your device, you often have the option to Update and Restart. This signifies that there are changes available and you know you are going to emerge from this process different. Sometimes this is a minor update that really doesn't appear to you, and sometimes it's an OS update and your device looks quite different when it comes back. I think we are all entering our own OS update and we will emerge from this differently.

One big difference though is that we get to choose how we want to appear when we come back from this reboot. I hope to take this opportunity to come back better. These are some steps I am taking:

1. Stopping the insanity - we live in a culture where we assume everything must be bigger and better than what we've done before. If we went on vacation to Florida this year, then next year must be the Caribbean, then Europe, then Asia and eventually Mars. We all do this. We measure success in terms of surpassing the past. I am as guilty of this as anyone, but I see it everwhere. We see it in gender reveals that involve more planning than a space shuttle launch, birthday parties that rival the Golden Globes for pomp and circumstance, and having mountains of Christmas presents that are taller than last year's. I want to take this opportunity to re-baseline. Wipe away all of the prior measures and just start fresh.
2. Understand that I am on the Hedonic Treadmill - our lives are a series of ups and downs. We have highs and lows. When we get euphoric about something, that is fleeting. However, when we are in bad times, that is also fleeting. Understanding that on both sides can keep me grounded. I want to take the time to acknowledge this.
3. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify - I love reading. I enjoy old movies. Board games are fun. Walking the dog is relaxing. Binge watching fun TV shows with my wife is awesome. These are all true and always have been. They also are inexpensive. The same for having a simple dinner at home or packing my lunch. These things actually are simple and take stress away. However, the ideas that "it's lame to sit home" or "everyone else is going out" always pop up. Forget that voice. If you enjoy it do it, if you enjoy it and it's simple, that is even better. Celebrate that, rather than feeling like you are missing out.

So, we are at an inflection point. These events going on in the world are happening and we have little control over them. However, we do control how we respond to them. I am trying to not "waste a crisis" and using this to change my perspective. What are you doing to make sure you emerge from this "Reboot" with a better OS than before?