What a spring this turned out to be! Who would have thought just a couple of months ago….? Norway closed down 12th. or 13th. of March I think. It was a Thursday, and the Thursday the week before I was euforic as I had landed three new projects, on that same day! What a day that was!
The bliss lasted for a week. Now everything is postponed…..
That being said, I think we’ve had this coming. Not necessarily a virus of course, but some sign telling us to change. I know it might be controversial to say that at a time like this. I recognize that many of us are scared and feel anxiety with regards to what is happening now and and how it will affect our future. But still, I believe that in my part of the world we have exploited just about everything for too long. We’ve made too much money, spent too much money, produced too much and it’s been too hard on the environment. We’ve run too fast, worked too hard and challenged too much – always trying to achieve faster and more effective. Not better, but faster. With more speed and more efficiency. I hope and see signs that marathon has come to an end.
I believe we are approaching a new era – and I love it!
We’ve all been affected by Covid 19 in so many ways, but I wanted to make this post about some the positive effects it’s had on me. And maybe some of my thoughts will trigger some of your?
#1: Just Do It!
I’ve been inspired by Nike’s quote since forever, and it kind of etched itself on my mind during my whole transition from corporate life to startup-world.
Now I’m soon to complete a course with Institute For The Future on how to think like a futurist, and one the main key takeaway (so far) for me is – “make the future you want”. Not to be misunderstood. It’s not some kind of create-your-own-lala-land-fantasy-future! No, it’s about looking for signs and patterns that confirm the future you realistically want, and putting it all together and start living the life that makes sense to you by already applying what you can from the signs and patterns you’ve taken note of. It’s about becoming more aware of all the choices we make and the ones we don’t but should, in stead of “just going with the flow”. Let me give you an example. If I were a citizen in the USA I wouldn’t want to be part of making my country great again in the eyes of Trump. I see him promoting so many signs and patterns I recognize as the world we knew 50 years ago. Before womens liberation at home and in the workplace, when men made all the important decisions. I also see him promoting the capitalistic world I want to become history. The one where capitalists rule and where the ones who survive and succeed are the ones who exploit and profit by scruing someone else – wether it’s the environment or the society. I don’t want that, so I would take actions to participate in building another world, and in the US that’s in the hands of the Democrats. I’d vote for them, for sure. In this case – Just Do It! means take action and vote for the world you want, or the one that looks the most like the one you want!
And then there are all those choices and measures you can take in creating the life you want. Now is really the time. I’m sure that by now you know a thing or two about how you want your life to be when we are on the other side of this crisis. Do something about it! Become aware of the changes you want, and take action! Just Do It! 😅👊🏼 This common exercise in change leadership might help you get started:
- What do you want to continue to do?
- What do you want to stop doing?
- What do you want to start doing?
#2: Fix it yourself
Don’t sit around and wait for others to fix whatever it is you want fixed. Do it yourself. An example. I’m sure you know by now that I want to participate in fixing gender imbalance. I do NOT want women to trade place with men. I want our society to appreciate female values, and I believe right now the fastest way to do that would be to work towards a goal of a 50/50 balance within all layers of society. That is a huge purpose to work on, and there is only so much one person can do. But I can make it a mission for me to make this a part of everything I do. I know a genderbalance will create the best results for everyone. There are so many wonderful examples proving that everything improve by implementing female values.
Tuesday I’m hosting a webinar concerning Female Investing. We need more female entrepreneurs and we need more female investors. I belive one of the reasons we have so few female entrepreneurs compared to male is the fact that they don’t get funding. A report from Unconventional Ventures released last year shows that from all Venture Capital invested in the Nordics in 2018 – 1% went to female entrepreneurs. 1%! That is so sad, and I want to participate in trying to fix it. If you want to take part in fixing this too you’re welcome to join our webinar!
#3: Who cares?
I’ll be celebrating 53 this Summer and I have finally realized that I can do whatever I want. There will always be a lot of people around thinking you make the wrong choices. But we all know deep down that no one knows what a right choice is for you better than you. Right? There is no way you can go through life only pleasing others and still stay true and happy to yourself. But you can pretend and you’ll most likely be pretty happy. However, I am a student of Aristotle and I believe he is right that there is no easy way or quick fix to become truly and completely happy. As with everythin else, it takes work. For instance you need to apply your whole and true potential which means you must make some hard choices – often perceived wrong to others. But those choices are the ones that make you truly and deep down, utterly happy.
I’ve had my own business for two and a half years now and I love it. I loved my former job, but it didn’t make me happy. That was never to be blamed on anyone else than myself. I had a job that I loved! Yet it didn’t make me happy. I became bitchy, complaining and negative from running too fast, always wanting to do more, better and faster, becoming frustrated when people around me didn’t see what I saw. I needed a big change and I’m so glad I pulled it through. Now I’m incredibly happy, energized and feel so empowered. I don’t care what anyone else think of the choices I make as long as they are right for me. This crisis have made me even more sure that I’ve made some big and right choices, and now everything seems to connect. As much as I hate what this pandemic is doing to us, I love the fact that I am so prepared for what comes next.
#4: Lets Do This Together!
It’s all about relationships. The most comprehensive study done on Happiness and what creates a good life is from Harvard. It states that the one ingredient in a good life is your relationships. Not how many you have, but the quality of them.
I belive this crisis has made many of us realize just how important our relationships are to us. I’ve become used to not being able to hug my oldest daughter or mom so often since we live in different cities. But the thought I wouldn’t be able to see them for Easter and maybe not even until Christmas was horrible and almost unbearable! But thank God for Facetime, Whatsapp, Zoom, Messenger, Google hangout and all those wonderful tools that enable us to see each other even if we live far apart. These tools will never be traded for physical socializing, but they add to our social lives. I met with five of my great friends in the States a couple of weeks ago. We used Messenger. They live spread around the country and me across the Atlantic – it was so great to see them and to talk to them! And it amazed me how we are all part of this one, wonderful world, wanting the same when it all comes down to the basics. This crisis has made me remember the basics, and it’s first and foremost about my relationships.
#5: Be nice and do good.
The most important one, and to be implemented and applied with all previous 4 stated above!
There are no reasons we shouldn’t be nice to each other and to everyone.
I’ll just put it out here in plain sight: I’m not religious. Not whatsoever. But I love some of the stories we’re brought up to believe in. Like the ones where Jesus always was nice to people – even to the people treating him wrong. Why shouldn’t we all be? Not the naive kind of nice – I don’t like the story of how you should turn your head and take a blow on the other cheek if someone hits you – that’s just being stupid in my opinion. But I believe we’re not doing anyone harm if we treat everyone with respect and act nice, there is always – ALWAYS – an explanation, and often a sad story too, behind bad behavior.
I see so many signs and patterns and I’ve read so many facts now on how our children are into doing good. How they will work, do business and be associated with people and businesses who do good. I just love that! And of course we are becoming influenced by that as well, but still I see my generation often keeping a job they don’t like. I see them following and cheering for people who stand for opinions they don’t like, and I see them doing things they don’t like. All of this not making them happy. My hope for the future and this new era we are approaching is that we all become more aware of who we are and what makes us truly happy. To become more in touch with our whole and true potential. And that we do good for people, purpose and planet. All this being said – it makes me incredibly happy to see more and more signs and patterns that this is exactly what is happening right now. We are spending more time on becoming more mindful of how we want our lives to be. How can we not love that? 😍❤️🙏🏼
Drawing with the rainbow and two smiling clouds during the coronavirus pandemic period.
Peace & Love
happyhippiegoddess.com 