These are special times. Exceptional. Shocking. Unique (I hope!). The health crisis triggered by the coronavirus epidemic - COVID-19 - is forcing us to confine ourselves, to live and work (from) home.
Stay at home! - is the refrain for spring 2020.
And in this time of isolation, I wanted to share this breathtaking sunset, which I'm lucky enough to admire from my living room/coworking space/gym. This isn't to brag about the view I'm privileged to enjoy, and for which I feel immense gratitude every day. I chose this image because it perfectly illustrates the subject of perspective.
It's all a question of perspective
Of course, I can open the living room French window, step out onto the balcony and marvel at nature's graceful display. In this case, it's a semi-freedom I refuse myself, because looking through the window helps me to remember the constraint. I'm isolated from the rest of the world not because I want to be, but because I have to be. To myself and to others. For the common good.
But what about our relationship with constraint?
Paradoxically, without constraint - whether self-imposed or accepted - there would be no freedom. Constraint can be a stimulating factor, encouraging us toexploreunsuspectedpaths and solutions . It pushes us to look at things from a new angle and overcome obstacles.
It works for me, perhaps because I grew up under constraint without really realizing it? Looking through the invisible bars was the reality I experienced until I was 19, under the Communist dictatorship. Later, when I experienced FREEDOM, it took me a long time to change my perspective.
I learned just how much lack had pushed me to see things in a new light. Deprived of resources that might at first seem indispensable, I naturally had to resort to ingenuity to push back the limits imposed. In this way, I developed skills that helped me to bounce back from hardship, despite the unknown or uncertain context.
Changing our point of view on a given situation helps us to transform our mental posture.
So, when things aren't going our way and the outlook seems bleak, let's look for the good in our situation and transform our vision of the situation. As Isabelle Hudon says, avoid letting ourselves be led by fear and allow ourselves to trust: in our abilities, in collective intelligence, in life.
So let's take advantage of this period to imagine the change that we want to make for ourselves and our world, create the opportunities and not just wait to seize them, invest in ourselves so that we can continue to offer the best of our abilities, both at home and at work.
And when all this is behind us, we'll remember that adversity brings out the best in us.
As for me, I'm opening the windows wide to share not only a view, but also a vision shared by the entire L'effet A community, to accompany you through change.
Take care.
PS: The dove-shaped cloud... it's also a matter of perspective 😉
* personal photos