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Hi Team,

Happy Easter, at least a different kind of Easter!

This weekend marks three weeks of Stage 3 shutdowns across the state, and I feel that we are all starting to adjust to "The new normal". Social distancing is now widely accepted and trusted and has become a normal part of our behaviour in public. All our children are doing home school (or home holidays at present) and the majority of us are working from home or are on part time rosters. Hardest of all is the burden that is being placed on all health care workers and their families and the tens of thousands of businesses that have been completely shut down and the scores of people that now have no work.

This has become our "new normal". None of this has been our choice and none of this is easy. 

"Either it will go well, or it will pass; and these are two good options",  Norwegian Proverb.

A universal theme that social commentators are currently writing about is that from adversity comes opportunity. We have all been forced to slow down and stay home and with this change in lifestyle we have gained more of the most valuable resource of all, "time". For me there are three significant opportunities that can come from "the new normal" if we step up and accept the challenge?

1. The time to be more creative.   The best time to be creative is when you are by yourself or in isolation. Over the last few weeks, I have found that I am constantly drawn towards creative work, (at the expense of more procedural type work).
2. The time to form new relationships or strengthen existing connections. Right now, everyone is a bit scared and anxious and we are all much more open to connecting with others and building meaningful relationships.
3. The time to reassess what's really important. Robert Glazer recently stated that "forced isolation and prolonged social distancing is a chance to get some clarity on what actually fulfills us, rather than what just fills time". Glazer recommends that we should all take time to reassess the "5 F's", Family, Friends, Fitness, Faith & Finances.

The best way to cope with the stresses of "the new normal" is to focus on what you can control and try not to worry about everything that is outside of your control. Glazer summed this up perfectly in his latest "Friday Forward" blog called "Adapting to the New Normal", "The biggest difference I’ve seen between those who are staying even-keeled during this crisis and those really struggling is a willingness to accept the new normal and a determination to focus on what they can control at this point. These are the business leaders pivoting quickly, the parents building homeschool schedules and the healthy people social distancing because they feel a responsibility to protect others."

Thanks for reading,
Stay safe and soldier on.
David