But some very random thoughts…The world has changed soooooooooo much. Like one
of my last blogs, it was award season. Even though largely devoid of color,
I too, am going to watch the Golden Globes at
home-along with a billion others around the world. The Golden Globes are having to face their own diversity issues-with only a few people of color nominated (Can you say Audra Day's embodiment in the United States vs Billie Holiday"? Why does this keep happening? Is it the exit of the last
president? #BLM? #COVID-19 with 500,000 AND COUNTING. All. of. those. things.
We are MOST DEFINITELY having a #Hamilton moment. Who are we as a country? As Communities? As Individuals? Where is our Collective Soul?
The pandemic forced all of us to overuse the word pivot. Some of us more successfully than others. Children wanting to be physically in school. Parents working from home. Businesses struggling-some industries on the verge of collapse. All of us affected with anxiety and depression to some degree. To counter that, we had to be creative in what used to participate in relaxation and wellness activities. How to exercise from home? How do I stop the 4 walls from closing in? I miss my family and loved ones-how can I see them? How to entertain the kids AND myself? In this era, fences will need to make good neighbors for the immediate future.
#TransformationServicesInc (TSI) is having a boom year, like many companies that are delivering digital healthcare and education. We were already offering distance training-and the insurance companies had no choice but to allow "zoom care". In my view, this will never go away-the convenience of it all. Families, couples, individuals appreciate the opportunity to have a conversation from their own living rooms discussing real feelings #Mad #Glad #Sad #Scared in #RealTime. Makes all the difference in access and effectiveness of services, and any shame in needing help-one of the factors in deciding at the last minute not to keep traditional therapy appointments.
Even so, we are lucky, as humans on this planet to be able to identify and express feelings:Mad, Glad Sad, Scared. We're all feeling a little something something especially the past year. Even before the pandemic, #anxiety and #depression were the number one reasons for seeking care-often those were related to other things, such as lowered #SelfEsteem, which is actually based on past and present trauma-all the buzz right now. Historical trauma, such as slavery is the basis for many of these issues, but so is life today. #Micro-aggressions happen to people of color every minute of everyday. I break #Trauma into two phases: Trauma Informed, being aware that trauma exists, and Trauma Responsive-actually having a plan of action, whether that is you personally or culture in which you are trying to work and live.
After anxiety and depression has been decreased-the "what to do with my time"?, is most frequently asked. In everyone's DNA is some level of the ability to #Self-Soothe. You can "strengthen and lengthen" your DNA, these periods-by having a variety of hobbies, interests.Our interests have focused on inside activities, like movies which now have streaming options.That helps those entertainment venues to stay afloat and became very savvy in using digital media to offer live performance, visit museums, hear music-all from the comfort of our living rooms. The holiday season, really mid-pandemic, #SOUL debuted, and it is still resonating for me months later, as the gift that keeps on giving. It reminds us that living every day, every
moment, despite circumstance-hasn't changed. It also alerts us to the possibilities around every corner-you need to take them, despite how scary or uncomfortable. As a business Disney has over the past several years, released movies whose goal seemingly was to put us in touch with these unexpressed feelings. Importance and loss of Family and Separation Mental Health struggles: Finding Nemo, and then Dory; In and Out put those feelings front and center and now-Soul expressed the sadness of loss, and what's life all about, and who we are while we are living this thing called life. All applicable NOW. I think at this point,we'd all like a post COVID-19 redo, like Joe Gardner.
At some point, our next normal, may begin to appear as the vaccine becomes more available and warmer weather gets most of us out of our wintry, safely distanced shell. We'll see how the world HAS CHANGED. New people, surroundings, experiences-right? I believe we can as a world learn to play jazz like Joe improvisationally. We became a more woke and caring nation during COVID, we can continue to do so post COVID. We can learn to accept each others differences We can become better. In this new landscape-giving all a whirl should be your only choice. Joe Gardener has taken you as far as he can.
Looking for life change? Need to resolve past, current trauma? Have you ever considered joining the helping professions? Telling your story is healing, as is listening. Join us! You can be on your way to a new career in 90 days or less. www.transformationservices.info
