All of a sudden, it seems that coronavirus has come closer much more swiftly than we thought it would. However, although we may not have any control over when, where, or how the coronavirus will be in our area, we DO have control over how we meet that circumstance.

We CAN take care of our fear-based thoughts; we CAN identify our worst fears; and we CAN
prepare ourselves practically.

What Are You Actually Afraid of?

When there is so much fear around
coronavirus, I can’t help but wonder what we are actually afraid of.  

Are you afraid of getting coronavirus
and dying yourself? Are you afraid of getting COVID-19, surviving, but passing
it on to someone else who then dies? Are you afraid of one of your loved family
members dying? Or are you more afraid of social unrest and other disruptions to
life as we know it?

Whatever way you look at it, this is
about fear of death, whether death of our bodies, our way of doing things, or
our societal norms.

Here are 3 things you CAN be in
control of(over and above the practical recommendations of social
distancing, hygiene, etc).

Your Thoughts

You are the only one in charge of
your thoughts. I know it doesn’t feel like it sometimes! It really helps though
to admit to yourself what kinds of thoughts you are having. If they are
fear-based thoughts, then try the 5-Minute Flip exercise.

Let yourself go fully into the
emotions associated with those fear thoughts. For example: “I’m scared X will
die.” Really let those thoughts run riot – but only for five minutes. (This is
important; you need to set the timer). Notice your thoughts, notice your
feelings, notice your body sensations. Let them be there.

When the timer rings, move to another
location; even another chair in the same room will do. Now deliberately turn
your thoughts away from what you were thinking about in the previous five
minutes, and spend the next five thinking of things you love and appreciate.

This might take quite a bit of
effort, but it really works if you’re determined not to let the fear-based
thoughts take over.

This exercise works simply because
allowing the fear-based thoughts and feelings to run their course makes them
surface –
and that’s what you want. It is the resistance to them that causes the trouble.
As many wise sages say, it is the resistance to circumstances that causes
suffering.

Your End-of-Life Preparation

In the last few decades, we in the
Western world have been very loath to talk about death, or anything resembling
it.

But now, we have to. Because
otherwise we will have people dying who didn’t want to, people being kept alive
who, quite frankly, would rather have died, and many, many people who are just
completely unprepared, whether it is them that die, a family member, or a
friend.

By preparation I mean discussion (and
documentation of that discussion) about the terms of your will, what you
ideally would like at the end of life (e.g., to stay at home, be in a hospice,
stay in your care home, or be in hospital – assuming all those options are
available).

Would you want a DNR (do not
resuscitate) order? To be intubated in the case of breathing difficulties? To
just be kept comfortable and pain-free, rather than receive treatment?

You need to discuss this with your
family or friends and write down the results of that discussion. Include
details about what you would want for your funeral, so it can be a chance of
letting go properly, of grieving fully, by those coming after you.

This
is so important, it is worth repeating: Although you may not have any control
over when, where, or how the coronavirus will come in your area, you DO have
control over how you meet it.

You CAN manage your fearful thoughts; you CAN face up to the
fear of dying; and you CAN prepare yourself practically.

The Finding of Positives

In any situation, no matter how
awful, there are positives to be found. You may not want to find them
(understandable, especially with death) but the fact is they are there.

When my husband died of cancer, I was
aware, albeit in a rather detached way, of the gratitude I felt toward the many
friends who rallied round. I even found myself being grateful for the sunshine
and good weather, although I would have preferred my husband to be alive and
healthy and it be raining!

After my parents both died in the
same week, I learnt to be grateful for the strong bonds that my siblings and I
created through regular Zoom calls – we had had no need of them when my mum was
the central hub through which all family information was shared.

So you might want to accept the fact that
you MIGHT go to your reward sooner than you thought, and choose to prepare well
for the inevitable now.

If you find yourself having to
self-isolate as a result of coronavirus threats, to work from home, or have
your normal routine disrupted, choose to face up to preparing your own end-of-life
plan (and/or help someone else plan theirs) – not because you necessarily think
death will happen, but because it might happen (and anyway, one day, it
definitely will). That’s one positive that could come out of this situation.

Use my free ebook 8 Essentials For Creating A Good End of Life Plan as a tool to get aware of just some of the things that need to be taken care of.  

What is your strategy for fighting the coronavirus? Are you in self-isolation mode? Have you prepared for an eventual early end of life? What did you do to prepare? Please share with our community!

Hannah Ann Sluss’ White Cropped Hoodie on Instastories

The Bachelor Instagram Fashion 2020

Considering we’re stuck at home and there’s barely anything good on TV right now, we’re super grateful to Hannah Ann Sluss for providing us with some premium content on her Instastories like TikTok videos and this video of her eating ice cream in a super cute white cropped hoodie sweatshirt. Which is honestly just the inspiration we need right now to stock up on more cute, comfy outfits that we totally wouldn’t be embarrassed for people to see us wear in public our homes on Instagram.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Alo Hoodie on Sale in Limited Sizing and in Other Colours

Click Here For Additional Stock

Click Here For Even More Stock

Photo & Info: @HannahAnn

Originally posted at: Hannah Ann Sluss’ White Cropped Hoodie

Gina Kirschenheiter’s Rolling Stones Tee

Real Housewives of Orange County Instagram Fashion

Like many of us, Gina Kirschenheiter is spending her time at home organizing her closet. I have really been doing so because we are supposed to put our house of for sale and I’m not quite done sifting through the mess. I’ve been dying to move for years and all of the current madness is putting a little kink in our plans, although I know there are much larger issues at hand. That being said, I may just allow myself to have a pity party and get Gina Kirschenheiter’s Rolling Stones tee delivered to my door to make me feel just a leeeetle bit better while I’m staying put.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

DAYDREAMER Rolling Stones Tee

Photo: @GinaKirschenheiter

Originally posted at: Gina Kirschenheiter’s Rolling Stones Tee

If you choose to continue working after the official age of retirement, you stand a good chance of working in a team with Millennials and Generation X’s. There is also a high probability that your team will be led by someone from a younger generation.

So
what is the significance of this situation? Well, each generation comes with
its own traits and characteristics, and in many instances, we have different
values and focus on completely different aspects of the job to be completed.

The
benefits of building on our different strengths can be amazing. Yet too often
people fall prey to miscommunication due to a basic lack of understanding of
the ways others think and what they want to achieve.

Unless
you have a basic understanding of the generational differences, you may
struggle to get your head around their differing values and work styles.

You
may find yourself as the oldest member on the team, with the least amount of
delegated responsibility – especially if you are extending your work on a contract
basis. So how can you help make it work?

Be Flexible and Accommodating

However
tempting it is to tell the ‘youngsters’ how to do it, you need to realise they see
things differently. You can’t be certain their way is wrong, but it is likely
to be different, so you may have to learn to simply zip it!

Maintain
an attitude which is open to learning from the younger generations. Age does
not mean we know best, especially as we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Don’t Stereotype

Keep
in mind that if you stereotype the younger generations, you stand a chance of
being side-lined because of your age, evoking ageist reactions.

Though
it is important to understand the general characteristics of each generation,
do not box individuals in. No two people are exactly alike, so see each person for
what they bring to the team.

Learn from One Another

Showing
a willingness to learn from each other will bring down any walls between the
generations. The corporate advantage of keeping boomers on the team is to
facilitate the handing on of knowledge and information.

As
a boomer, you will be better off if you see it as a learning opportunity in
terms of technology and recent innovations. Successful multi-generational teams
are able to identify, value, and build on each others’ strengths.

Establish Respect

In
our youth, it was drummed into us that we should respect our elders. In a
multi-generational team, it is important that everybody has respect for all the
members of the team. Your leader may well be younger than you, but that should
not diminish the respect they deserve.

Adopt a Flexible Communication Style

We
were always told how to communicate; that correct grammar and spelling are
essential. But, with technology come spell-checks, abbreviations, and phonetic
spelling, to mention a few.

To
operate in a multi-generational team you need to be flexible in your
expectations and weigh up whether it is essential to do it your way, before you
comment.

For
the younger generations, communication is good enough as long as it relays the
essentials speedily.

Focus on What Unites You

There
are many similarities between the generations, and you will need to focus on
these to gain group cohesion, rather than constantly noticing the differences. After
all, as employees, we are all there to get the job done and be remunerated.

We
all want to feel respected, that we can make a contribution and achieve the end
result. If you realise this you will go a long way to forming a cohesive
multi-generational team.

Don’t Waste Your Chance to Break the Boundaries

This
is your opportunity to break down some of the ageist stereotypes around boomers.
We look to those of you working in multi-generational teams to lead the way.

If
you want to learn more about the general characteristics of each generation,
there are plenty of sources you can check out online. It is worth reading
around the topic if you are working with different generations.

How often do you need to work with people from a younger generation?
How do you handle the differences? Do you have any special tips about breaking
down the generational boundaries? Please share them in the comments below.