Why it's hard to ground when we are "grounded"

While there are loads of posts and articles on how to stay grounded in the face of the pandemic and how to work virtual and how to handle this “new normal” it’s even more important to come back to the fact that we are all human. 

We are human beings working inside companies. We are human beings working at hospitals, health care facilities and nursing homes. We are human beings working at restaurants and retail shops. And we are human beings who consume.

It’s so easy to take for granted what we have access to until we no longer have access. It’s so easy to take for granted that we have access to health care until it’s strained beyond capable. It’s so easy to take for granted all that we can buy until there is none left on the shelves. 

Who makes those products? Who takes care of the sick? Who serves you food? Who stocks those shelves? Human beings. Every single one of us is affected by this pandemic. Every single person no matter where you live in the world, what you do or don’t do and what you purchase or don’t purchase.

I get that it’s important to stay positive and optimistic. I get that it’s important to remember this too shall pass. I get that there are things we can control (like staying home and physically distancing from others – YES, please do that) but to not acknowledge how you are feeling would be to negate being human. 

We are human beings not human doings.

If you know me, you know that when crisis hits I get curious about the meaning behind it. What is truly happening? What is the bigger picture behind this? I have always felt there is a reason things happen and there is something that is being shown to us that we need to see whether it’s happening to me personally or to others in my life or to a company I work with or a community or world I am part of.

We are being shown all the places in our work, our lives, our systems, our countries and our world that are broken. And, it’s overwhelming to see how much is truly broken. That’s why it’s hard to stay grounded.

We are human. We have emotions. Whether we personally know someone with the virus who is fighting it or have experienced the loss of a loved one from the virus we are all affected. It can feel extremely overwhelming to see all that is broken.

That’s why it’s hard to stay grounded.

Is it possible to stay grounded? Absolutely. Is it easy? Not necessarily.

We are each being tested as we spend a lot more time inside with our significant others and families or perhaps with ourselves if we live alone. We are each being tested in our relationships. We are being tested on what we truly need to survive. Our egos are being tested to see how much we stay in “me” mode vs. “we” mode. Our level of compassion and gratitude are being tested.

It’s no wonder it’s hard to stay grounded.

We are being grounded. We are in a time-out and it’s not easy as adults to be sent to our rooms for a time-out.

What is the purpose of “time-out?” To cool down and evaluate what we’ve done in hopes when we come back we will have learned our lesson.

What also happens in time-out? Temper tantrums, emotional bursts, crying. Or the opposite - we go silent where rage boils up inside, or we freeze or want to run.

We are in a time-out. And, our true colors are coming out. 

What comes out for you? Are you keeping everything inside or letting your emotions out? Are you having a temper tantrum or are you calm and collected?

I’m not here to prescribe how to be. I’m not here to tell you what to do or how you should be. I invite you, instead to “be with”. Be with wherever you are.

Be with being human. 

Allow whatever emotions are there to come up and through in whatever way works for you. There is no one solution that fits all during this time. There is what fits you given who you are, how you operate and what you need.

Allow you to be how you are right now, without judgment. Allow others to be where they are without judgment.

We are all doing the best we can with what we have. 

When you feel stuck about what to do, ask yourself, “How can I serve? How can I be of service?” And go do that.

We are all human beings. These times call us to be human.

Let yourself be human.

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Want to stay in the conversation?

If you’d like to listen in on a conversation to learn more about questions we can ask while we are “grounded", join Lori Silverman and I on LinkedIn Live Thursday, April 2nd at 11am Pacific. Connect with Lori here to get access: Lori's LinkedIn Live

About the Author

Jean Marie DiGiovanna, CPCC is an international keynote speaker, corporate educator and certified executive coach who has been helping leaders and their teams think and lead differently for over 25 years. She is a master of experiential learning and speaks on leadership, employee engagement and innovation.

Her programs combine the tool of powerful questions with proven leadership strategies and techniques to create cultural transformation with her clients, who range from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. Jean Marie's programs are highly engaging and content-rich, with tools leaders and their teams can apply immediately to succeed.

To learn more about Jean Marie's keynotes & Leadership programs, visit www.jeanmariespeaks.com

To access powerful questions and tools to shift the culture of your organization, check out my new book, Stop Talking Start Asking: 27 Questions to Shift the Culture of Your Organization - www.stoptalkingstartasking.com