Try to pivot when plans are canceled.
Maybe you can hop sideways even if you can’t move forward.
One of the many stressful aspects of the lingering pandemic is how often we have to change our plans at the last minute.
I had some fun outings planned this month. We were going to see the touring production of the musical “Hadestown,” and I was going to take my Mom to see our favorite Egyptologist give a talk. Then omicron came along, and both performances were indefinitely postponed. I salute the organizations behind these events for making the safe choice, though I’m disappointed. However, I no longer have to decide whether or not to take the risk to attend these shows; it’s all out of my hands for the moment. And in that way, I’m also relieved.
Whether others have canceled on you or you’ve had to cancel yourself, most of us have had a brush with social limbo lately. It’s okay to feel frustrated that your expectations have been dashed. But you can also choose to put your focus somewhere else.
Instead of fretting over these cancellations, I’m going to spend the time I’d already set aside for these events to do something else I will enjoy. I’ll choose something I can do safely at home, but I’m not going to waste that time. (January is my most stressful period at work, so free time is especially valuable this month!)
Please understand that I’m not advocating busyness to avoid feeling your negative emotions; I simply encourage you to find an alternative use for that time. Experience your disappointment, but don’t linger on it too long -- then pivot your plans. If you can’t meet a friend in person, can you chat on the phone instead? If you had tickets to a stage show, can you stream something from National Theatre Live or Broadway HD? (I might have a new plan myself now!) If a planned trip has fallen through, can you spend time on a neglected hobby instead?
You still have options. Take advantage of them.
Challenge:
Try pivoting to a new plan if you encounter any cancellations this week, but I’m not making that an official challenge. You may continue with whatever you’ve been working on, improve on a previous challenge, or take on an older challenge you didn’t have time to tackle. However, feel free to take the week off if more rest would be beneficial.