Is it too early to look towards a 'new normal'?
"We could realise that what we thought was success, was just excess."
As we begin to see some countries (like Australia) relax their pandemic restrictions and allow the general public back into society at varying levels, naturally our attention turns to what that new version of daily life might look like.
In this host-only chat, Ben and I discuss what we hope the 'new normal' might entail, whether we should simply be re-entering or re-booting society, and what each of us can do now in order to set that in motion.
We also look at how Australia’s government is talking up a "snap back" to pre-virus ways of doing things, and how that seems to mean a re-entry to the old way of doing things and a return to old problems. Ben poses the question of what would happen if we instead rebooted back into society: rebooting the way we managed our finance, our view on the environment and even our values?
We have a juicy chat about what this means to us and our values, why we'll spend the next couple of months reframing what success looks like and why we're taking heart even amidst the pain and uncertainty.
I also wanted to provide some journal/conversation prompts to help you question what our new normal might look like.
Picture a brighter, better future post-Covid
What does it look like?
How do I feel when I imagine it?
What excites me about it?
What about it feels aligned with my values?
Let this vision settle in to my heart, let it permeate the discomfort and uncertainty. Believe that it's possible.
What specific experiences during isolation have I found positive?
What did they offer me that I want more of?
How can I make space for more of them post-lockdown?
What about 'normal life' am I not looking forward to?
What of those things are in my control?
How can I minimise them in my life?
Have my priorities changed as a result of lockdown?
What were they pre-Covid?
What are they now?
Has my idea of success changed as a result of the pandemic?
What was it pre-Covid?
What is it now?
Are there things in my life (worries, expectations, goals etc) that I can simply let go of in this new normal?
What are they?
How do I feel when I think about simply letting them go?
What's one thing I can do today that will bring this vision closer?
I found this a really challenging, hopeful, cathartic conversation to have, and it really stirred a curiosity in me. If we could envision a better, post-Covid world, what would it look like?
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Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:
As always, thank you for listening.