The reality is life puts us all through unplanned change. However, sometimes the unthinkable can occur. The COVID-19 pandemic is a sound example of this.

Who knew that at any given moment a package of toilet paper could suddenly become more valuable than your stock portfolio, or that in a heartbeat, face masks and social distancing would become the new global norm? We knew that another pandemic could happen; however, many of us never thought it would happen. To say the world has experienced, and will continue to experience, unprecedented change for decades would be the understatement of the year. In a nutshell: COVID-19 is unplanned change on steroids. Now, no matter who you are, or where you live, on some level everything seems upside down, not right-side up

Unfortunately, rapid unplanned change such as a pandemic also brings with it prolonged uncertainty. When this happens, it is normal to have difficulty seeing the upside of things. We are grieving the way things used to be (loss) and are fearful about what may, or may not, happen in the future (anxiety). Some anxiety is useful because it helps us initiate strategies like social distancing to reduce risk and keep ourselves safe. However, if we let them, sadness, fear, and anxiety can quickly become panic and cast a stranglehold on our ability to cope and move forward through uncertain times. The question then becomes how do we successfully navigate change when change can change its mind anytime?
When disaster strikes, maintaining a positive mindset with faith and hope becomes more important than ever before. Just like we put those cases of water and week’s worth of groceries in the pantry, having a positive mindset is emergency preparedness for our minds. Maintaining a positive perspective during prolonged uncertainty can make the difference between having a super-awesome life or a super-rotten one while massive upheaval plays out.

Mastering the art of positive thinking when you don’t know what the next five minutes might bring can be challenging. Positive thinking gives us an extreme advantage during times of extreme stress; yet most people do not use this strategy to their advantage. As humans we tend to focus our time and energy on what we don’t have, rather than on what we do have. Throw in some catastrophic change and we are naturally waiting for the other shoe to drop like everyone else.

During any type of change, the first step towards successfully moving away from negative thoughts towards more positive ones is acceptance. This does not mean you have to be happy about a situation like a pandemic and how it disrupted your life; it means that to move forward, not backward, one has to try and accept change is happening, not resist or deny it. Acceptance and looking at your circumstances from the outside in, rather than the inside out, helps take the emotionality (fear, sadness, anxiety) out of situations. Regardless of the magnitude of an event, this encourages our minds to shift to the more positive end of the spectrum.

JANE ENRIGHT is an ordinary person who has survived some extraordinary things. An inspiring and humorous thought leader, author, and speaker, Canadian-based Enright is a former kindergarten teacher, strategic planner, and the founder of My Super Awesome Life Inc. Jane speaks to audiences seeking answers to overcome fear of the unknown, grief, stress, loss, depression, anxiety, stagnation, indecision, sadness, and more. From top executives to stay-at-home moms, she is helping audiences throughout North America land “butter side up” after unplanned change.

Her new book, Butter Side Up™: How I Survived My Most Terrible Year and Created My Super Awesome Life, can be found on Amazon, Indigo, and through other major booksellers. You can find Jane on LinkedIn and Instagram, and for more information, visit www.JaneEnrightAuthor.com

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Ash Brown is a gifted American producer, blogger, speaker, media personality and event emcee. The blog on AshSaidit.com showcases exclusive event invites, product reviews and so much more. Her motivational podcast "Ash Said It Daily" is available on major media platforms such as iTunes, iHeart Radio & Google Play. This program has over half a million streams worldwide. She uses these mediums to motivate & encourage her audience in the most powerful way. She keeps it real!