Time to Pivot

Think about the last time you helped someone move. (Or just picture the classic Friends episode where they are trying to get the couch down the stairwell.)

There was a recliner that needed to get through the doorway.
You made one attempt. No luck.
Shifted the way you were holding it. Tried again. No luck.
Flipped it on its side. No luck.

Finally, you went in with it held diagonally, head rest first. Midway through you pivoted the angle and swung it around toward the open side of the room. A little wiggling and some care to be sure no one’s fingers got smashed and boom. You were in.

But it took a few tries.
You needed to be creative.
You had to think outside the box.
It took more than one attempt to get it right.
Next thing you knew though, you were ready for some reclining.

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Look, we are in a weird time.

• You are trying to figure out what it looks like to work from home. How are you going to make that happen with the kids out of school?

• You thrive on social connection and now all your normal channels are shut down.

• There were reasons you did not go into education as a career and now here you are, teaching two elementary school children and a middle schooler.

• Your kids school/sports/activities are closed up for the time being and they do not know how to handle the whole thing.

• Your go-to restaurants are closed and you are not exactly Bette Crocker.

• Your gym is closed and you know that you go crazy without movement.

• Your sources of entertainment are gone and it seems like there is nothing available to give your mind a break from the incessant screaming of news updates.

Time to pivot.

Back up.
Take a look at the situation.
Start trying stuff.
Not good? Try again.
Give yourself some grace.
Give yourself some time.

Sooner or later, you will get that recliner into the room and be ready to settle into it. First things first though, you have to get it through the door. That means you are going to have to mess with it a few times in order to find what is right.

• Test out some routines for working at home. It might take a number of tries. What is the right environment? How should I set up my desk? When do I start and stop? You may have three frustrating days, but then it clicks into place on the fourth.

• Your CrossFit gym Is closed? Maybe you try running. Hate that? Try cycling? Hate that too. Time to search for some workouts on YouTube. Used to lifting heavy but do not have the equipment? Time to try going for your push record.

• Your kids sports are canceled and they are sad? You do not have to be an expert, but you can play. Not the best basketball player? Just get the rebounds for them.

• Without school, your artistically-minded kids do not get to go to art class or choir or band. Not exactly an artist? No big deal. You can sit down and draw bad pictures with your child who loves to color. Do not know anything about the oboe? That is fine. You can listen and applaud and encourage.

• Not a great cook? YouTube tutorial it is. Invite your kids to join. Everyone may as well learn together. Might be time to literally figure out how to make lemonade out of lemons.

• Missing that weekly coffee meet-up with a friend? Try some MarcoPolo interactions. Not your thing? Facetime it is. Not your thing? Regular phone conversations. Still not your thing? Smoke signals.

Here is my point.
You do not have to have social distancing all figured out on day one.
We did not even know the word until a few weeks ago.
Yes, it Is going to frustrate all of us on some level at some point.
Acknowledge that. Feel it. Accept it.

Then pivot.
Try something.
Try again.
Try again and again until you settle into the thing that works.

Give yourself grace.
Share your ideas.
Help one another out.

This all seems a little dark right now, but it will be light again soon.
Until then, give yourself the freedom to mess with stuff until you find the right amount of light to make it through the days ahead.