In this crisis time, it's normal for us to feel scared, stressed and worried. However, in the past week of working from home, I also discovered something else: opportunities, connections and gratitude.
1. Opportunities
Working at Kaplan, we are creating many new things for our students, including weekly online events. Just this week, I was very lucky to host an online session, Welcome to New Students. I shared my journey as a former international student nationally across four campuses.
There were few attendees than I expected, and this is something that I cannot control. What I can control, however, is how I deliver my content, to present with authenticity. I made it. 😊 In the end, when students told me they felt the connection and liked my advice (e.g., "Unfortunately you can't discover your city right now, but you can start to do some research and create your to do list."), I felt delighted. I inspired some people.
This is a magical feeling for me. When I was a student, I never thought one day I would share my experience in this platform. But hey, that's the joy of life. It's a reminder for me to keep evolving and thriving, especially during this period. You never know what opportunity you will get.
Also, it taught me again to say 'YES' to opportunities. This session was offered to me only a few days before the actual event. Initially, I hesitated, wondering if I could do it. I had never done that before, through Zoom and nationally. It was a bit scary. But then I told myself, you are better than you think you are, so just say yes. I am glad I did that. With preparation, everything flowed very well.
Next week, we are going to have Zoom walk-in sessions for our students. Another exciting new thing for me to participate in and check out.
2. Connections
Don't you feel we are more connected and closer than ever before?
Apart from receiving phone calls and messages from my parents and friends at home (e.g., "Are you ok?" "Do you need any masks? I can send you some from China."), I am also very fortunate to have supportive colleagues. They check up on me via Zoom every single day. Besides, I had an unexpected visitor a few days ago.
When I was having a Zoom work meeting at home alone, I heard a few loud knocks at my door. I was a bit frightened, so I chose to ignore it. However, a few minutes later, the sound came back again. "Fine." I gave in and walked towards the door while I told myself: "It should be fine Qian. It's day time." To my surprise, it was my neighbour standing in front of me. "Oh, I just want to say, since it's a special time for all of us, please let me know if you need anything from me. I am always here to help." He said. Man, what a simple message, but it really warmed my heart. Act of kindness! Let's do it.
Now, pick up your phone, message or call your old friends, especially if you haven't talked to them for years. Relationships have become more important than ever before. Sometimes, you can just put your video on with your family or friends while you are doing things. We just need that company.
Apart from more connections with our outside world, we now have more time to connect with our inside space too, focusing on our inner garden. What do we want/like to do? If we don't know, then try and discover.
I even get a bit excited. Looking around, there are so many books waiting for me to read, so many articles I want to write and video projects yet to be completed. Now it's time to plan and surprise ourselves and friends later after we come out of our 'caves'. Seeing ourselves grow and blossom can be really rewarding. and working on our hobbies is also a joyful thing to do, right?
3. Gratitude
As our current space is limited, I find I am more observant and appreciative of simple joys of life. Let me share with you three things for now. 😊
First is the fact that I live only 10 minutes away from the river. At the end of every day, I really cherish being able to go out and jog along the river. To sweet smell of the fresh air and grass, feel the sun shining behind my back, hear birds chirping, and see the green world is so enjoyable and therapeutic after staying at home the whole day. My heart becomes brighter and lighter instantly.
The second thing is my backyard.
After my mum sending me a picture, one of her flowers in her balcony blossomed, it reminded me of my lovely yard. Mine is even better than hers, haha. Well, it is small, but I have trees and plants. The most important thing is I am not living in an apartment, so I can touch the ground and soil where I feel more grounded. I have started to walk to my backyard during my break time. Taking a break every hour is crucial for our productivity. And connecting with nature is so soothing and refreshing. I feel charged after a few minutes. Another good thing is I finally remembered to water my plants every single day this week. Great change hey😊
The third thing is Zoom, the most popular online meeting platform now, I guess. We are so connected that coronavirus could spread globally quickly. But again, this is something we cannot change/control. So, is there any benefit of living in today's world? Yes, technology. Zoom, for example, allows us to communicate with one another at our fingertips. Let's take advantage of it.
Apart from using it at work, I had my first Zoom meeting with the Australia China Youth Association (ACYA) Women's Network. We are all based in different cities in either Australia or China, and I was new to everyone. So right after the meeting, I arranged one on one catch-ups with three team members. I look forward to meeting them all in this upcoming week. Do you have any strangers that you want to meet too?
Have many of you noticed that LinkedIn always recommends people that you may know? Pay some attention and check their profiles. Connect with those who you may find interesting and schedule a meeting. Now you can prioritise the ones who are not in your city. Let's be strategic. 😊 I always feel so excited after meeting a likeminded person remotely, because by listening to his/her stories, I can learn something new, enrich my life and become a better version of myself.
Also, be creative too. Use Zoom to organise a band rehearsal. I did that this Saturday afternoon, a great alternative!
So, your turn now. What are the things that you took for granted? Tell me your list.
When a challenge arises, first we have to acknowledge it, then control what we can control, such as the way we handle it. We all have the capacity to discover the simple joys of life as we find our own solutions. I am sure we will get over this tough situation. At the end of the road, there's bright sunshine waiting for us. For now, let's be grateful for what we have, focus on our inner world, and stay connected.
