Keep Learning and Keep Growing

We are living through unprecedented times. A global pandemic, civil unrest, California is literally on fire and seemingly endless work from home.

It is easy to get down and fault yourself for not being productive or wasting time. Many people feel that, since we have so much time at home, if we are not “taking advantage” of this time to either create new streams of wealth or embark on long projects, then we have completely wasted this opportunity presented to us. I believe the best way to utilize our time in quarantine is to learn about ourselves.

It is so common to be lacking in motivation that both internet blogs and renowned news outlets are publishing articles/blogs about motivation.

A New York Times article from May of 2020 says “doing what’s meaningful - acting on what really matters to a person - is the antidote to burnout” and I agree with this. It is common, once we join the workforce, to lose sight of what pushes you as an individual to be the best person you can be.

If you know what is truly meaningful to you, I urge you to work on that desire while maintaining motivation. Many of us, however, are not sure what is deeply meaningful to us, and this is where taking time to self-reflect on issues that elicit an innate response in you, or modes of self-expression that you seem drawn to, can be extremely beneficial.

This is also a great time to learn about your body.

Transitioning between sitting at your desk and your couch all day, you probably feel some discomfort or tightness somewhere in your body. More often than not, this is your body’s way of telling you to get up and get active. Use this as an opportunity to find what modes of exercise interest you, and which ones you can do consistently.

Consistency is often more important than the particular mode of exercise you choose, so finding ways to be active that you can do consistently is the first step in learning how to take care of your body. We offer a wide range of classes focusing on different aspects of movement if you need some help finding your niche.

Many people may also feel helpless in these times, as we are constantly bombarded with new social issues (many of which only seem to be new to us because we have the privilege of not experiencing them first-hand). Taking time to learn about these issues/systems (where/when did they originate, how have they evolved, how do they currently affect our world) can help shed light on how you can assist in changing these issues.

People have been fighting these fights for a long time and there is plenty of information out there provided by the people who have been on the front lines. There are a plethora of organizations, especially in the Bay Area, dedicated to fighting these fights. Learn about the issues, find something that resonates with you, and find out how you can get involved to quell feelings of helplessness and start to enact real change.

Everyone is learning how to survive under quarantine

And learning in itself is one way to help yourself through these unprecedented times. Take this time to learn about yourself: what drives you, what are your deeper desires, what gives you energy, and what drains you. Learn about what is happening in the world around you and what you would like to change.

The next few years will shape a world very different from any we’ve lived in before, think about what you want that world to look like and learn about how you can make that happen.

- Anthony Norman

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/well/mind/motivation-pandemic-coronavirus.html