Finding success during a pandemic

I try to not write as many pandemic-related topics on my blog, because...well...let's face it, it's been exhausting. 

But a personal experience today inspired me to write about it, and it's something that has slowly amplified in my life for the last 5 years.

But first, please allow me to introduce some background before introducing some tips on how to find (and feel) successful in your endeavors during a pandemic.

Personality Assessments: Take it with a grain of salt.

Within the last 5 years, I've taken so many of these type of assessments more than I can count. Two of them were on-the-job-requirements, while the others were more voluntary after reading "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek. 

Most of these assessments confirmed what I already knew: I'm task-oriented, detail-oriented, and analytically-driven to the point that I have tendencies to see the big picture and "read the room" properly. 

The assessments reliably categorized me into specific groups / identifiers. For example:
Myers-Briggs = ISTJ (Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)
Insights Discovery = Blue > Red > Green > Yellow
Jungian Archetype = Reforming Observer (Classic)
SparkType = Primary: Sage (teacher), Shadow: Maven ("eternal student")
Morality / Values = Independence > Achievement > *Hedonism > Benevolence

*Note: I personally have a negative connotation to the word "hedonism" / "hedonistic", so I tend to change that to "well-being".

I always take these with a grain of salt, as one or more specific tendencies do not "define" you. However, certain events in my life led me to questioning my "archetype", where in time, certain strengths come to me as weaknesses. And as my archetypes would have it, while I understand not to take feedback personally, in-actionable feedback tend to lead me to an emotionally dark path.

And that was amplified when I tore my ACL.  

My Daoist Conflict

As my archetype would have it, I found solace in seeking a new method of training Dangsoodo as part of my rehab from ACL surgery. I started to be introduced to concepts that I heard but without confirmed evidence, and one of those included Daoist philosophies in Old School Dangsoodo. 

I'm not very religious to begin with, and had little understanding (or interest) in theology. But one of the things from Daoist philosophy that peaked my interest was this idea of letting nature take its course, that all things are transient between two extremes on a spectrum, and that things are not always black and white.

That's about as religious as I'm willing to go into this post, but as you can see, it's quite difficult for me to do that. In the last 5 years, I believe that I've tried to be better at this. To be frank, I feel that this was something that I consciously train in myself, and am hesitant to admit how embarrassing it is that it doesn't feel effortless for me.

It's the reason why I've started to accept my strengths and weaknesses as more of things that I "down-regulate" or "up-regulate" given specific circumstances. It's also the reason why outside of my credentials, I don't really identify with any roles. Sure, I'm a wife, pet parent, daughter, martial artist, mobility specialist, lab science specialist, medical informaticist, liberal, agnostic, etc...

But those constructs are what society sees of me. I've started to only use them when necessary for "societal norms". I'm a jack-of-all-trades because of my tendency towards procuring knowledge and becoming...

My Strongest Type: "The Maven"

My past experiences with injury, especially from my ACL tear, gave me deeper insights in truly understanding and accepting my strengths and weaknesses. 

My superpower has always been my ability to learn from experiences: that of my own and from others.

Time and time again, I've received feedback how I can learn both kinesthetically and visually. While my preference is to physically involve myself in learning, I can up-regulate my ability to learn just by watching and observing. 

When my community did not know how to interact with me during my ACL rehab, I was so isolated. However, many were shocked at how much information I've learned from being away, even as much as learning all of my Ee Dan hyung curriculum from watching (and analyzing) members on Youtube or branded instructional videos practicing.

I mean - if the only thing I can do while under "house arrest" was binge watch, read, and perform physical therapy, I had all the time in the world to absorb as much as possible. And so I did. In this manner, I evolved my ability to deliberately practice, which became highly transferrable when I started virtual private lessons with my teacher almost a year later.

And years later, this skill proved to be tremendously effective during the pandemic. It is truly why I feel successful this year in all areas of my life: home, work, recreation.

How To Feel Successful During a Pandemic

1. Know your top values
   This is a must have. Sometimes, we are so busy trying to pursue a "normal" life, but haven't truly considered who defines what it means to be "normal".
   
   Part of our anguish in dealing with today's rhetoric is having a lack of clarity in this. In an episode from the podcast, "The One Thing", they often discuss identifying the top 20% that delivers 80% of the most impact, and then focusing on only one thing out of that top 20% to results-driven gains.
   
   Does continuing to pursue a "normal" life - keeping the status quo of what it was once - still lead you to achieve extraordinary results that are in line with your values? If not, then it's time to...
   
   
2. Be unapologetic, but flexible
   I'm still learning how to confidently say, "No", without being apologetic. It is some of the hardest things I've ever had to do, as evident in my archetypes that I do not seek confrontation. 
   
   Whatever you decide, as long as it is inline with your top values, you do not need to have to explain yourself. However, life changes, ebbs, and flows, so give yourself permission to change your mind if and when the time comes.
   
   
3. Ask for help
   This is incredibly hard for me to do myself. The ways in which I've asked for help this year is mostly task-oriented. It ranges from asking for feedback on how I can be a more effective coach/entrepreneur to simply saying "No" to certain commitments or putting things on hold.
   
   I think it's important that everyone acknowledges that this year is difficult for all, but it doesn't mean that we should give up and let things be. If you're like me who struggles with seeing "the big picture", then ask for help from someone who can. (Side bar: My husband is my go-to for helping me see "the big picture".)

So, outside of these "woo woo" descriptions, what are actionable steps that will help you accomplish these two things?

• Read books (Ask my husband - I can read professional literature for hours but can never read anything of self-development value. I've read more books in the last 2 years than I've ever had in my life, even if my pace is excruciatingly slow to most.)
• Listen to personal development podcasts or other topics of interest
• Set a "morning routine" where you feel mentally and emotionally successful to receive an anticipate what comes your way
• Write daily, weekly, monthly, or often: It doesn't have to be anything formal. I started free-writing but then received this template that I use more often now. This template is combined from a personal recommendation and others I've heard on podcasts:
  • What are you grateful for today?
  • What would you like to do today?
  • (Best at night) What can you do better tomorrow?
• Move: Homo sapiens were meant to move, and it is only in our evolution where modern needs require less physical movement than our ancestors. There are studies that suggest performing moderate activity for 30 minutes positively counters all of the negative effects of sitting for a full work day. You do not have to be the world's greatest weekend athlete to achieve this.

A word on the "Morning Routine"
I didn't realize how incredibly freeing it was to be home and not feel rushed for breakfast. This is the time when I am most introspective, and it has since become non-negotiable for me to give up my first 2 or 3 hours in the morning. Most of my energy-requiring tasks are scheduled in the afternoon when I feel most productive and engaged.

So, no, I don't work out in the morning. I use the opportunity to engage my dog physically (i.e. morning walks/plays) and maybe some smaller CAR routines here and there, but for the most part, I allow myself to observe how I'm feeling physically and emotionally. Then I pursue a learning activity (i.e. podcasts, reading, journaling) if I have time to spare before starting my to-do list (i.e. work tasks, business tasks, personal care / health tasks).

Please reach out if I can help discover this for you, especially if you are ready to plan and prepare for 2021. Continue to feel inspired, resonate, and amplify!