A lot of us, almost without warning, have experienced significant non-routine work as well as life changes. As a result, it is hard not to fill our thoughts with things that might have been – the cancelled exhibition, the postponed event, the tour that might never happen now. Not to mention the changes to personal events like celebrating birthdays, graduations and anniversaries or taking that long-awaited holiday. We have lost some important rituals.
I was fortunate to be at the soft launch for the fabulously refurbished Story Museum in Oxford a few weeks ago. Shortly afterwards the stay at home advisories came into being and the grand opening had to be cancelled, if we had discussed this being a possibility even six weeks before it would have been inconceivable. And it is devastating after so much effort, commitment, and joy at having the next phase in sight.
We are having to adjust and let go of some immediate dreams and life as it was. This can be hard enough at the best of times but during such an uncertain period it is even more stressful. If we try and hold onto what might have been, we are carrying heavy extra baggage at a time when we need to be nimble; imagine yourself in front of a doorway laden with large suitcases, you will need to put some of them down to get through the door safely.
I know it is easier said than done. I lost my first big group exhibition that was due to open in March and had consultancy work postponed but there are a few simple things you can try that might help. You could do them individually or with your team if you are still able to be in touch.
- Give yourself permission to acknowledge how you feel about what has happened: be mad, sad or exasperated
- Make the decision to let it go. It needs to be a conscious decision
- Talk about it and try and get it out of your system as much as possible. Acknowledge what the issue is and send it on its way
- Regain perspective. Refocus and reframe
- Focus on the present, the things you need to do right here and right now
- Celebrate the small wins, the new things that are happening that might never have happened before
Maybe now is the time to be telling our stories of work, the stories that get lost because we are usually so busy running from one deadline, task or project to another.
Dawn & Susan