I know what you are thinking… Why isn’t there a new blog post for the IIP Series!? Unfortunately, because of recent events with Covid-19, I won’t be able to interview anyone new until the “stay at home” policy has been lifted. With that said, I am committed to still publish a new post on this beautiful first day of April.
Pandemic
This crisis has affected us in more ways than we know. If it’s not affecting us directly, then it is indirectly affecting us through finances, day to do activities, and many more circumstances. Those of you lucky enough to have jobs that can be accomplished from home, consider yourselves blessed. I wake up with a heavy heart knowing how many people have been infected as the numbers keep growing everyday. The reality is that casualties happen everyday, and the lives lost due to a virus, such as the common flu, is an issue all year round. It’s horrible that it takes a widespread pandemic for many of us to feel any kind of sympathy for others.
Nonetheless, we are all at a loss, but we can choose to get a hold of this situation and see the good in the part that we can control. I have always been a believer of the saying, everything happens for a reason, and I can’t help but feel as though this time has been gifted to us. This is a time to slow down, reflect on the everyday things we take for granted, and appreciate our loved ones, now more than ever. We have been gifted the freedom to choose how we use our time, so instead of being dragged into this cycle of constantly checking our phones, as we consume all the noise that fills our feeds, let us use our time for replenishment. Although there is no forgetting what is happening in our world right now, we can control how we choose to feel at this present moment by continuing to live our lives as intentionally as possible.
Priorities and Core Values
As of lately, the word “productivity” seems to have a sour connotation to it. It is almost as if everyone is trying to squeeze in as much work on their to-do list as possible. Just because most of us aren’t physically at work, there is a feeling of guilt lingering behind the idea of being at home. (being at home = being lazy = not productive) This, however, is the wrong mentality. I encourage everyone to not let toxic productivity take over and allow yourself moments of rest. It is all about finding the right balance that works for you. This all starts by setting our priorities to find our core values. Here is a short story which I’m sure many of you have heard some version of before.
There was a Philosophy professor who stood before his class with a jar, sand, pebbles, and rocks. He first filled the jar with the rocks. He asked the students if the jar was full. They nodded their heads up and down with approval. He then poured the pebbles into the jar and the students watched as the pebbles fell into the empty gaps between the rocks. The professor asked the students again if the jar was full. It most definitely was. Finally, he emptied the sand into the jar. The students watched as the sand filled the gaps between the rocks and the pebbles. The professor then explained.
The jar is a representation of our life. The rocks are the truly important things such as family, relationships, and health. The pebbles are the other things that matter in our life, such as work or school. The sand represents all the remaining things such as material possessions and all the “small stuff.” If everything else was lost and only the rocks remained, our life would still be meaning-full. If you put the sand in the jar before anything else, there will be no room for the rocks and pebbles. Make room in your jar for the things that are truly important and let’s reduce our temptation to junk values. A perfect example of junk values would be high school drama. Remember when it used to clutter your mind over everything else? Surely at the time, dealing with these junk values were our top priority. Looking back at it now, in the midst of a worldwide crisis, is it important now? Definitely not. We need to work on prioritizing our rocks, because our family, relationships, and health are being threatened now more than ever.
Intentions
Many of us are limited as to what we can do at the moment, but if you are like me, an introvert by heart, it is almost as if you have been training for these weeks of rest and self entertainment. We can make the most out of our time, when we aren’t working, by finding our common ground, because this is the perfect time to get to know oneself. Our common ground is the thing that drives us and aligns with our core values. It is the thing that connects everything that we are passionate about because we choose to make it a priority in our lives. It stands headstrong along with all the other rocks in our jar. For me, it is the yellow filler, the common ground that ties my passions together. It is CREATIVITY.
This is a time when we can create value for ourselves without our jobs being a huge factor. If we can establish this core understanding of who we are and what makes us happy, then who is to say that we couldn’t continue to push these boundaries even after this crisis is over?
I would assume many of you reading this share the same common ground with me as well since, after all, this is my photography website :) I have separated my passions into three categories. For you, it might be more or less than three, but the point is to realize what YOUR livelihood is. As a creative, being able to make art and express myself through these different types of creative platforms leaves me fulfilled, even during this period of uncertainty.
Awareness
After reading this, I hope that all of us feel inspired to make the most out of these tough times. Set your priorities and core values into alignment, live intentionally, and maybe even pick up a new skill you’ve been wanting to learn. Make the conscious decision to put down your phone and give yourself the time to find YOU.