An opportunity to reflect

We have just had our lockdown period extended by at least another three weeks here in the UK and there is the temptation to give in to the lamentation, “when will this ever end?”.  But it’s important for us all to remember that this too shall eventually pass.  And while being on lockdown certainly has its challenges, it also presents us with some precious opportunities too.  Most importantly of all is the opportunity to reflect on which parts of our pre-lockdown life are worth picking up again once this is over.

 

I have to be honest and admit to you that I have not yet been intentional enough about answering this question for myself.  The realisation of this hit me last night before the extension was announced.  I’ve been so busy with the here and the now that I’ve neglected to set aside some time to think this through, to plan my life forward.  I made a commitment there and then to address this.

 

Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”  When we examine our lives we ask ourselves questions like…

 

1. What is it that we most value in life?
2. Do the choices we make on a daily basis reflect those values?
3. Are the goals we’ve set for ourselves, if we’ve set goals at all, taking us down the path that we actually want to go?
4. Is there something in our lives that we need to change to be the leader we want to be?
5. Are there some habits we need to break or some habits we need to build to be our best self?

 

So let me encourage you, see this lockdown extension as a gift…the chance to reflect and decide in advance what you’re going to pick up again and what you’re going to leave behind for good once we are allowed out into the world again.