How Does Our World Change Post Covid-19?

Covid-19 has been disruptive in business, politics, economics, cultures and societies. While we make up each of these domains, at a micro level, it has also been disruptive in the way we engage, make friends, date, marry, raise children, learn, work, give help, collaborate and contribute to society. In the 21^st century, finding ourselves in a position where we need to be locked in our homes and not being able to send our children to school, calls for a pause and reflection and re-assessment of where we are and where we can be. We occupied ourselves in the here and now, waiting for the vaccine and waiting for the lockdowns to lift, by doing different things like baking and colouring and learning. We also occupied ourselves by stretching our repertoire of skills by learning how to be relevant in the changing business context. We occupied ourselves by becoming multi taskers in handling home and work chores all at the same time while grappling with our personal and social anxieties of the pandemic. But if we need to move ahead, and successfully ahead, we need to take one step out of the here and now, and take one step back to take two steps forward.

What do we need to be able to take one step back?

• Reflect on with what mindset do I want to live my life: When times are as uncertain as it can get, the mindset with which we approach opportunity, relationships and dreams is crucial. Finding fulfilment in these with a helpful and action-oriented mindset knowing that this is the moment to act is important.
• Letting go off regret and lift the burden off mistakes to move ahead: A ball and chain that stops us from living a life of happiness and fulfilment, often lie in feelings of regret, missed opportunities, bad decisions etc. which play in the background of our minds. To accept oneself for who we are – the sum of our goods and bads – to apologize, to forgive and move on, will be therapeutic.
• Finding meaning in loss so it inspires us instead of paralyzes us: We all lost something through this period – lives, health, mental health, relationships, work, money, time, time with someone. What will make this loss be less painful and what will take us towards healing is something we can ponder over to find our own unique meaning through this.

Once we take this step back, and are ready to take those two leaps ahead, we can define for ourself what are new normal, what are rebooted lives will look like. If we don’t pause and we don’t consciously reset the way we live, there will be no significant new normal for us. We will still continue to float or strive to stay afloat as we were in some spaces even before the pandemic. The world will change to the extent that our intentions for ourself and for our world will change. Some of the new intentions that we can bring to this new world can be:

• Intention to give and not just take: whether it is at an environmental or interpersonal or professional context – when we truly understand the interconnectedness of things, and appreciate that we get more when we give more, we will be able to truly tap into our potential. So, what is it that you want to give more to today? What does ‘more’ mean to you? What helps you give?
• Intention to create instead of exhaust: This is the start point of innovation where we challenge the assumptions with which we have been doing business. Like paper will only be made by cutting down trees or plastic will only end up in the oceans. How can you craft your business to be more sustainable in the true sense while being profitable? What are some micro changes that you are willing to take a chance at that will push you towards more possibilities?
• Intention to be happy and not be defeated: While times may make us feel completely out of control of our own work, our lives, what can we do to bring out inner strength, our resilience that stops us from falling or makes us get up once again. What will change decisively in your life when you make up your mind that I want to be happy and I will create circumstances that allow me to be happy.