We may all be in the same storm but we are all in different boats.

Same Storm, Different Boat

A lot of people are consoling one and other by saying “I understand what you’re going through” and “we’ve all got it tough, we’re all in the same boat”

Phrases like this frustrate me because it’s actually very hard to know what other people are going through in this COVID-19 storm. Although we may all have it tough or dealing with dealing with certain changes there are certainly different levels of challenges between each other’s situations. 

Personal Challenges

As a professional motivational speaker who predominately speaks at large conferences I myself have had challenges and have had to adapt and adopt into the virtual world seizing speaking opportunities and running resilience and wellness workshops.

All in very different boats

But the final straw is when people suggest that we are all in the same boat. As I look around I see that everybody is in very different boats in relation to their survival and coping through the COVID-19 storm. You have the little one person rowing boats who are struggling just to stay afloat who are next to the huge ocean liners who are lavishly buoyant, safe and secure. There are sailing boats who are having to adjust their sales rapidly to accommodate the changing winds and then you even have vessels that have capsized and individuals that have drowned.

Think about what you can do rather than what you can’t do

The important thing here is to not start comparing your situation with anybody else’s. Every body and every situation is different and to cope with this comes down to thinking about what you can do rather what you can’t do. You may not be able to control the situation but you can control how you react to the situation.

So ask yourself, how can you adjust and adapt so as to survive this storm that we are currently going through?

Are you able to see new opportunities out there for you to take action with? Can you see elements of lockdown more as a cocoon period where you have the opportunity to evolve, flourish and reform. Opportunities become present to an open mind.

Riding the Wave

Following ‘The wave of resilience’ which I talk about in my workshops the section after hitting rock bottom is acceptance and once this has taken place then you can start taking action.

Raise your sail

How are you going to adjust your sails to weather out the storm because on the other side of this storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. So raise your sail and begin.

Let’s continue to support one another through this challenging time but let’s not compare against one and other because after all:

We may be all in the same storm but we are all in very different boats

Creating a master piece

Giving yourself time to shut off from the world is also very important as it gives you some ‘rest bite’. 

Meditation is a very good tool for this which can come in many forms. (It’s not just sitting cross legged on the floor while you hum!) It may be exercise or even some sort of hobby like painting. I’m willing to have a go at anything that may help and so I got my paints out of the cupboard and started creating a ‘masterpiece’. What do you think?

Personal postcard

I then went even further and have made this into a postcard. My purpose is to send it to friends, colleagues and associates to help them through this challenging period. A nice personal message of course to with words of encouragement. Just drop me a line if you want me to send one to yourself – i.nspire@steve-judge.co.uk (07939220784)

Steve Judge

Professional Speaker, Author and Transformational Coach