The coronavirus (COVID-19) has and will have a huge mark in world history. Years from now we’ll be studying the events leading up, during, and after. For many, coronavirus hit the world by storm and still continues to pass through country by country. Life as we know it has changed; as for our post-life, who knows what that will look like.
I understand for many, permanent changes have already been made, and for those individuals and families, the world is sending positive thoughts your way. Thankful for all the brave angels in the world working tirelessly to keep the people on Earth safe from COVID-19 every second of every day – those in medical fields, law enforcement, essential businesses, and world leaders, etc. Huge respect for all of you
But, all is not lost. For some, coronavirus / COVID-19, brings a new way of life that, in some respects, forces us “stop and smell the roses.” In your life, there’s always those moments that stick out (whether good or bad), they’re memorable and have a lasting impact on your life.
At this very moment, remember where you are. Not for the “shelter at home” or “stay at home” mandates, but listen to the world…we’re all beating to the same drum. One world.
Life has changed, but that’s not always a bad thing. Daily routines, social life, work, and travel itineraries have drastically been impacted. What’s a normal life now? Heck, what happened to my New Year’s resolutions? All of that is really irrelevant now. Let’s stop and smell the roses.
Week 1 for me is history (one that I’ll likely refer to for the rest of my life). To set the stage, Week 1 was my first official week of “shelter at home” and working from home. No coworkers, no friends, and even no family. Just me, my wife, and 1,600 square feet of our home.
It wasn’t all that bad…actually, wasn’t bad at all. Memories made, laughs were had, and well…I feel a closer connection to those around me now more than ever before. How? Let me explain.
Work
- In-person meetings, replaced with Zoom Video Conferencing
- Coronavirus / COVID-19 introducing wrinkles in day-to-day activities, but it’s not unique to us, all other companies are facing the same challenges
- Compassion – Corporate America seems to be exhibiting more and more compassion as each day goes by, what a breath of fresh air
- Still busy, still working, still leading the way
Most importantly, coronavirus / COVID-19, has “humanized” my colleagues. Seeing kids, pets, and spouses make unexpected appearances on video meetings has become the highlight of meetings. We get a glimpse of the families behind our leaders and it’s pretty damn cool. We are humbly reminded that everyone has life outside of work and everyone juggles a million things at once.
Socializing
- Still happens, thank you Google Hangouts. By the way, Google, don’t retire Hangouts, so many of us use it every day. Thanks! 🙂
- Video happy hour has emerged! Ha…who would have thought? Not missing a sip whatsoever.
The physical interaction isn’t there, but has been replaced by pixelated images of our friends and family. Thank goodness for video chat services (Zoom, 8×8, Facebook, Hangouts). Honestly though, I find myself having more “real” conversations with friends about life. Not to sound cheesy, but those conversations have deepened as a result of coronavirus / COVID-19, and for that I’m thankful to have become closer to friends and family.
One thing is for sure, when the dust settles, video socializing will become a bigger part of my day-to-day life. Cheers!
Personal Life
- Sitting at home can be boring, but I’ve refused to let it get to that point. Hello YouTube TV, NETFLIX, and PLEX. For the past few years, I’ve been keeping up a pretty large movie collection (1,000+ movies) but never knew why, now I do…1k movies has come in handy on the weekends.
- Fitness – Keeping a routine has been key! My wife and I have picked up Insanity (Thanks Shaun T). Now, friends and family have joined the fun. Next up? Video Insanity workouts. 😉
- Cooking – New recipes, old recipes…all have been visited. This is the fun part, it’s brought us together. I love eating and indulging. Now, we have an excuse to take our time with recipes. Creating something delicious.
- Quality Time – Sounds cliche, but I find myself spending more quality time with loved ones. Life has been put into perspective, and at this point, every second counts.
- Who knew I could walk around my neighborhood and be entertained? My neighbors have interesting taste in decorations and some still have Christmas decorations up (hey, at least it keeps up the good spirits). Ha! Seriously though, getting fresh air is good…thankful for the opportunity to smell the roses and exercise.
Living through Week 1 of Coronavirus / COVID-19 has been a change. Sure, it’s not all perfect, but life would be too boring if it were that way. The world is blessed with so many hardworking people risking their life every day to beat COVID-19. It’s magical seeing Planet Earth at work, all fighting for one cause. One Nation.
As I get ready for Week 2, I’m looking forward to it more than Week 1. I’m aware that coronavirus may continue to spread, but I’m also focused on living every second like it’s our last. Memories will be made for a lifetime.
Week 2 will be pleasant, happy, and monumental.
We gotta make a change
It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes.
Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live
And let’s change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn’t working so it’s on us…
…That’s just the way it is
Things will never be the same
That’s just the way it is
TUPAC – CHANGES