Home Alone. Hard to believe that movie is 30 years old. It was a household favorite of ours when my children were little. Who knew that a then 10-year old Macaulay Culkin screaming and running through the house 30 years later would symbolize millions of Americans more or less left home alone for over four months?
If you’re like me, much of the distancing I have been doing for months now feels like a lot more than just social. It’s emotional. It’s mental. And it’s psychological. But just like young Kevin in Home Alone, we have to learn to adjust. We may have to psyche ourselves up a bit, but in the end, we will learn a lot about ourselves and come to appreciate others more.
The real question I want to challenge you with this week is this. How are you using this time? Are you being resourceful with your time and making the most of the opportunities that you have? Or are you sloughing off in front of the television eating too many chips and consuming too many high sugar or adult beverages?
The pandemic is coming to an end. I don’t know when it will be any more clearly than the next person, but one day it will end. When it does, will you be ready? Will you be excited about the new habits you’ve developed, the new skills you’ve learned, and the new goals you’ve made? Or will you wish you could get some of these days back while trying to give back a few of the pounds you’ve added?
I’m making light of a serious topic. I am talking to, speaking to, and coaching with people who are committed to bettering themselves so that they are ready for the new challenges that all of us will face as we emerge into a greatly changing world.
To use another movie favorite of mine and my family’s, we may all feel a little like we’re living in Groundhog Day by now. Our routines are the same and our days don’t change much. So my challenge for you is to break out of your current cycle and to start working on yourself and the things within your control to change.
When you do this you will begin to see glimmers of hope, opportunities for gratitude, and reminders of why Life is Beautiful. So many of us focus on things that are outside of our control while missing opportunities to work on the things we actually can. If I can offer one last piece of advice, it would be to work each and every day on improving your attitude.
Then we can all adopt the mindset of Victor Frankl, who famously quoted, “The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitudes. In any given circumstance.” This from a man who lost not only his freedoms but his entire family.
You are stronger than you think. Especially in your mind. Don’t let Home Alone define who you are. Start today realizing that Life is Beautiful. Because it is.
I look forward to receiving and reading your comments below.