Responding to Uncertain Times

Unprecedented times like these call upon us to work together to ensure the well-being of one another, our communities, and our society as a whole. We need togetherness now more than ever, and yet physically isolating ourselves is an inevitable response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Within Tide Risers, we are lucky to have the infrastructure of our program and our community, plus the technology available to us to continue to hold our regular sessions online, and to have the social outlet that we are all needing now.

As we awaken to the reality that our reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, it is going to be important that we bolster the skill of continuing on with our work, as we can, and finding joy and peace where we can. A few things to consider in the coming weeks and perhaps months:

Growth and learning are available to us when we are faced with uncertain, trying times.

Take time to check in with your values and your personal and professional intentions, and consider refocusing on the things that matter most. You may find that this pause from our normal routines could give you the space and time to uncover creative solutions and unexpected possibilities.

Practice your active listening skills.

Active listening is a skill we strengthen in our Tide Risers curriculum, and it has served many of us well in our personal and professional lives. Use the skill of listening carefully to your friends, colleagues, and family with an open heart and unbiased mind. Remember that this experience affects us all quite differently, so try to reserve judgement and respect the vast diversity of reactions we’re going to be seeing.

Lean on community. 

I have been so grateful to have the reliable structure of Tide Risers during this time. Our community has been a stable source of reflection, resource-sharing, and companionship. Our online platform is a tremendous resource for tips on managing teams remotely, navigating parenting during a pandemic, and a variety of other issues relevant to this new reality. Be there for your community, and be sure to lean on them when you need them.

As much as we have gained tremendously from our in-person sessions, we are now, of course, living through unprecedented circumstances, and adapting our practices accordingly. For the time being, we are moving our sessions to an online video conferencing platform to ensure the safety of all of our members and their communities. 

Luckily we have some practice with this, as we are already in the routine of hosting global video conferences that enable our entire network to gather virtually across the United States and the United Kingdom. And since my move to London a year and a half ago, I’ve been running Tide Risers and my coaching practice via video conference and through our private online workspace.

We will get through this, and we will get through this together.