Our experience at Oprah’s live event gives us inspiration for challenging times
Before this pandemic “adventure” began, the three of us had the great fortune of attending Oprah Winfrey’s live #2020VisionTour event in Denver. We soaked up the positive energy as she spoke to thousands of attendees, and now her words provide inspiration for challenging times as we count down the days of the stay-at-home order.
Be Here
One of our takeaways from the event came in the form of a simple, but powerful, phrase: Start where you are.
The event workbook opens with the words, “You are here. You are exactly where you are supposed to be.” In light of our current world situation, some of us might bristle at that idea, thinking that we are meant to be at work, visiting family or going on that vacation that we had to cancel. Yet, here we are.
We can’t wish away reality, but we can control how we react to it. Oprah called attendees to focus on their wellness journeys, saying, “The foundation of your wellness journey is presence…Presence leads to clarity and, ultimately, the joy of being alive.”
As we shelter at home, we have been given the gift of time to be present. While it comes in the context of learning to work at home and school at home – while also trying to manage stress, grief and worry – we can find ways to accept the gift of presence. For us, that means taking time to breathe, to meditate and to allow creativity to flow.
Wellness Checklist
The workbook then prompted individuals to assess their starting point in a number of categories. We rated ourselves on a scale from 1 (not me at all) to 4 (that’s me!) in these areas, which represent mind, body and spirit:
- Emotions
- Learning
- Work
- Nutrition
- Movement
- Purpose
- Relationships
Then we chose three areas where we wanted to direct out focus and energy. The aspects of your life that need attention and focus will vary depending on your personal starting point, but this list can help guide you during both good times and challenging ones.
During social distancing, for example, our relationships might take a hit. However, we can find ways to reach out and connect with our loved ones and friends even if we can’t see them in person right now.
Importantly, remember not to berate yourself for your starting point. If you feel down about the status of any area of your life, look at it as a jumping off point. Start where you are and then create an action plan for moving the needle. In our next blog, we will dive into the power of intention, so we will talk about this action plan in more detail then.
Wellness and Work
Our team has worked from home for several years, so that aspect of social distancing is not new to us. However, like you, we are now grappling with teaching our children at home, spouses who are home full-time and other changes to our sense of normalcy and routine.
We are also missing traveling to see our clients and their properties in incredible cities across the country. Those visits have sparked some of our most creative ideas and work historically.
Now, during this period of presence, we know that attending to our personal wellness journeys will also support our work. Taking care of our minds, bodies and spirits will allow creativity and inspiration to flow more freely. With the gift of presence, we can tap into a deeper focus and flow, and we look forward to the new ideas that emerge during this time.
So, while work might look a bit different for everyone right now, we can still create great products, ideas and services. Take good care of yourselves. Start where you are and trust that you have the inner strength to move forward in positive ways.
We are still working during stay-at-home orders, so feel free to contact us. We help multifamily brands develop compelling branding and marketing campaigns.
