On our favorite Sunday drive, we drove past a very small convenience store that caters to the hiking and camping crowd. Obviously, suffering from a lack of business, the owners decided that they would capture what little traffic there was by posting a handwritten sign that said, “Yes, we have hand sanitizer!” I have to admit that my first impulse was to stop. After all, who doesn’t need more hand sanitizer? But I didn’t. However, judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, the sign worked.
The sign prompted me to think about just how much change we’ve adapted to over the past few weeks. Who would have thought that a sign about hand sanitizer would stop traffic? Today, words and phrases like social distancing, stay home-stay safe, PPE, masks, gloves, antibodies, respirators, testing, immunity, and daily government and health briefings are part of our daily conversations.
We’ve adapted to going to the grocery store every two weeks or so and not finding everything we were looking for. We are conscious of staying 6 feet apart and automatically line-up this way. We have learned to shop by systematically going down aisles in only one direction to avoid getting too close to anyone. And who would have thought that wearing a mask would be seen as a good thing and not wearing one be seen as not being responsible?
We have stopped going out to dinner and instead have adapted to take-out only. We learned to accept that we won’t be going to sporting events, concerts, theatres, or parties. All of this change has required to us to innovate and adapt in ways that we would have never thought possible – ranging from having virtual cocktail parties to watching live concerts in our homes by our favorite musicians conducted from their homes.
Our adaptation seems to have no limit and we are just now discovering what we are capable of. We are learning on a regular basis how people from fields ranging from business, science, and health are using their expertise to come up with innovative ways to deal with the many challenges of this pandemic.
The point here is that we are resilient beings with an individual set of skills and experiences and our own special way of seeing the world. Each of us is capable of doing so much more than we may have ever considered. It doesn’t have to be discovering a revolutionary way to clean PPE that will protect our health care providers. It can be something as creative as wrapping yourself in plastic so you can safely hug your grandchildren. Maybe you think that example makes light of an extremely serious situation, but the point here is that when we are properly motivated we often find ways to use our skills and experiences in remarkable ways.
WHAT MAKES YOU SPECIAL?
This time of extraordinary challenge offers us the environment or motivation to dig deep inside to discover our inner strength and to define or re-define what is truly special about ourselves. We suggest that you take a moment to try the following exercise. It may help you gain insights into your “specialness” and how you, too, can make a difference.
Begin by connecting your body and mind by taking 2-3 slow and even breaths.
With your pen and paper nearby, take a moment to consider what makes you special. As you reflect try not to judge your responses. Just jot down what comes to mind.
Your “specialness” may be related to things that you find really easy or obvious, but others seem to have difficulty doing.
Next, consider what other people say you are good at. For example, what is it that others often ask for your help to do?
Your talents may also be revealed in other ways. For example, what are topics you just can’t get enough of – it might be books, music, sports, or movies. Or what do you love to do when you have free time? Whatever you’re drawn to might be a clue to finding your special talent.
Another area might be to consider what you loved to do as a child. Or what were you good at when you were in school? What things were you called on to do either by teachers, parents, or friends?
By now, you probably have a number of things identified. Take a moment to reflect on trends or commonalities among the things you have listed.
If nothing is apparent right now, take a few more moments to reflect and ask these questions:
“What do I truly enjoy doing? For what activities do I lose track of time when I am emerged in them? What is it about these activities I would like to pursue?”
“What type of activities bring meaning and purpose to my life?”
“What would I like to do more of?”
“How can I put more of my special talents to use to help others?’
This exercise is offered as a reminder that we are special, unique, and resilient individuals. And that we have the ability to make a difference in ways that we may not have considered before. No one else is exactly like you and that’s a really good thing.