Coronavirus shows us anything is possible. Harness that.
Coronavirus is testing the limits of many things, including our imaginations.
A few weeks ago, my husband was convinced the virus would spread like wildfire, and life as we knew it would shut down. I found that perspective annoying and inconvenient.
“I don’t have time for that,” is basically what I told him.
And here we are.
For many of us, what’s unraveling was unimaginable. A virus from the other side of the world migrating across the globe, canceling the rodeo, closing schools and businesses as well as March Madness, and resulting in bare store shelves. It was inconceivable. And it makes me realize how much we tend to base ideas for the future upon the confines of what we’ve seen in the past. Our imaginations are actually quite restricted.
It’s hard to perceive what could be ahead, but data and health experts are urging us to envision something bleak.
I think it’s important to do that. Simultaneously, I suggest we activate the positive side of our imaginations, too.
This new reality has already stretched the bounds of what a lot of us considered possible. Our imaginations have already expanded. But if this negative stuff can happen – what else can?
Focus on your own life. What’s possible for you? What’s the best thing you can imagine? Daydream! Open your mind. Don’t run to the same old thing you’ve harped on and longed for before. Think bigger. Consider there are no limits. No fear. No hesitation. Just as huge and life changing as COVID-19 has been on the gloomy side, what could trump that on the other end of the spectrum?
I think it’s important for our health and psyches to do this.
Meeting fear, frustration and challenging situations with optimism and a sense of possibility is a sign of strength and resilience. Beyond that, it can help us feel better, and reshape things moving forward. When we let ourselves dream, negativity melts and doors open.
You don’t have to believe me. But please try it. Every day. Don’t stay in darkness and fear. Consciously take time to allow your imagination to run wild and free. I believe this is good for our individual spirits, it’s good for our collective energy and even though every little thing you picture may not come to fruition, the exercise is not in vain!
Let’s not forget what this situation has made abundantly clear— anything is possible.