By Sally Bartolameolli & Kim Siongco,
At LORA Bridges Leadership, Openness, Results & Awareness, we are committed to assisting individuals and organizations in learning transformational practices for building bridges and this LORA article focuses on communication practices for calming COVID chaos.
Admittedly, the tools, techniques, and practices here weave into personal, spiritual, and professional arenas. In this unprecedented time, we believe conventional, unconventional, and any protocols that will assist us are needed. Take what you like and leave the rest.
Research indicates that a positive organization culture contributes to the bottom line growth and top-line growth of any business environment.
Research also suggests that behaviors practiced over 30 days become habits, and over 90 days become lifestyle changes.
Pain and loneliness teach compassion and self-love.
~ Blessings From Mary*
1. Loving and Compassionate Self-Talk — From the Leadership quadrant, we look for fostering compassionate and loving self-talk. In our original training as Shadow Work® facilitators and coaches, Leadership practices are birthed from the Sovereign quadrant. Our Leadership/Sovereign selves are the part of us that we access that knows we are deserving of good care, deserving of our dreams, and we are deserving of our agency and authority to foster and nurture all aspects of self-care.
Most importantly, we pay attention to what we are saying to ourselves.
When we are feeling bad, tired, listless, depressed, desperate or any other range of emotions that might be referred to as “negative,” our somatic selves will respond to these thoughts. Often when we have “negative” thoughts, another part of us tries to force them away, ignore them, or otherwise resist them, both because they are painful to realize, and because most of us know intellectually that “negative self-talk” is not helpful.
What we resist persists.
The only way to change or transform those “negative self-talk messages” will be to actually acknowledge them and add a second thought of compassion and self-love.
Pause and breathe deeply.
Notice what we are saying to ourselves.
Gently acknowledge the “negative thought” with compassionate understanding.
Add a new thought that is loving, kind, and compassionate.
Examples: You are making progress. You are not alone. This too shall pass.
This may be challenging at first since we have learned to focus on the negative, sometimes as a way of “motivating” ourselves.
Trust this process and practice, practice, practice.
We cannot always choose our first thought, but we can choose our second thought.
Ritual is the passage way from the soul to the Infinite.
~ Anonymous
2. Spiritual Practices & Rituals – Whatever political or religious affiliation we may have or if we have none, to combat the chaos of COVID, we need to develop spiritual practices and rituals that transform our communication with ourselves, with others, and with a Higher Spiritual Source, or perhaps our higher & best self.
Again, this is not a religious or moral imperative. At LORA Bridges, we believe that bold self-love and self-care is imperative, especially during the crisis and chaos of COVID. Without COVID, there is still uncertainty.
These actions are potent non-verbal communications to ourselves that assure us that we are there for ourselves. These spiritual practices and self-care rituals become an active form of transformational communication. From this fullness within, we are able to be more effective and present in our professional and our personal lives. Daily practices and ritual of self-care will create a sense of belonging, combat fear, and assist us in moving the “negative energy” through so that we are able to move on to the next moment.
We cannot think ourselves into right action, but we can act ourselves into right thinking.
Action, action, action will connect our mind, body, and spirit and transform (transition in form) the moment.
Deep breathing is a powerful spiritual practice and ritual.
Physical movement is a powerful spiritual practice and ritual.
Writing, drawing, or creative expression are powerful spiritual practices and rituals at all times.
The only mistake you can make is not asking for help.
~ Sandeep Jauhar
3. Asking for Help/Support – My father died when I was 15 months old and by all accounts and family lore, it was because of bleeding ulcers. Many stories told to me by my large Italian family confirm that my father was not feeling well, but he would not ask for help.
“He didn’t want to be a bother since there was so much happening in the family,” my mother lamented, “and by the time he finally went to the doctor, it was too late.”
I have told my children that we learn as much from the gifts and values of our parents as we do from their mistakes, a lesson from my father. I ask for help when needed and I provide help to the best of my ability when I am asked.
Help is for people who want it not necessary for those who need it. Unhelpful beliefs may suggest that asking for help is weakness. Nothing is further from the truth. Asking for help is a mature and courageous behavior.
Conditions to keep in mind when asking for help:
*Choose kind and appropriate people to ask. Sometimes our family members or friends may not be the emotionally safest to seek help from.
*If at first you don’t succeed, ask, ask again. Churches, community services, and 12 step support groups are available in every area around the world and now many gatherings are in Zoom formats. Check out www.alanon.org, www.adultchildren.org, contact Human Resources in your work environment, or seek community and church support groups in your area or on line.
For more information about E-Courses, trainings, or complimentary downloads, visit www.lorabridges.com. Copyright 2020.
