4 gifts from 0 power
This past week we have had NO electricity.
Not like loadshedding - a few hours on and a few hours off. Nope, this was continuous. Zero power.
And to make it even more fun, we were moving during this time.
But since I'm a coach and (possibly annoyingly) optimistic, this letter is to tell you what I gifts I got from this week & in doing so, passing them onto you.
Even though I'm (most certainly annoyingly) optimistic, this is also not because I think we always have to put a positive spin on things or avoid feeling our difficult emotions. I like to say I'm an optimist because most of the time, that feels like the truth. And when it doesn't feel like the truth, I'm an optimist because it's helpful.
It's like... well this is my reality right now - no matter what I think about it. So, what can I learn from it? What growth and gifts are available to me here?
So in that spirit, here are 4 things I gained from a week of no power:
The gift of time. I really had so much more time in my day than usual, to the point where I often found myself not knowing what to do with it. I'd normally be scrolling on social media, listening to podcasts or refreshing my email. And because I had long stretches of time with no technology to fill it, I took longer walks and spent more time staring at the ocean. I spent more time thinking and letting my mind wander - allowing creative ideas to bubble up as they naturally do in a mind that is free of constant tasks. I felt so much more present & life felt slower and calmer - a reminder that I don't need to avoid boredom or fill every ounce of my time & in fact feel so much better when I don't.
The gift of renewed appreciation. No matter how frustrating it is to not have power, I'm also reminded that not only am I in an extremely privileged portion of the population to have electricity as my norm, but for most of human history the mere IDEA of electricity would have blown people's minds. When the power came back on, we celebrated. It was like a miracle rediscovered. It was a reminder that - while certain things have just become our new normal - there really are small and big miracles in our everyday lives that are worth taking a step back once in a while to notice.
The gift of freedom. At some point during this week I'd carried my 27th box and my muscles were hardly muscling anymore. I wanted to go to the gym to take a hot shower but at the same time, could only imagine what torture a workout would be. What a conundrum. I went back and forth until it finally clicked - I don't have to exercise at the gym. Whattttt?? Yup. Turns out, I can just go to the gym and go straight to the showers. No one checks & I don't go to jail. Who knew?? It was so funny to access this new option that only a few seconds ago had been completely inaccessible to my brain because it simply saw it as a rule. And it reminded me of the countless other random rules and manuals I likely live by without questioning them, and the freedom I gain from letting those go when they're no longer needed.
The gift of resourcefulness. The moment I realised the power had gone off I was annoyed and disappointed. And then I made a plan. We then got notified that it would be off for two weeks (luckily that estimation was NOT true!) and I started to make more plans. I cancelled some things, I postponed others. I went to friends' houses or the nearby coffee shop for calls. I went to the gym for hot showers and held my breath at home for the cold ones. And of course, the resources I already have at my disposal, the fact that I work from home and don't have dependents made all of this SO much easier. But no matter the conditions, when challenge hits - humans get resourceful. And I can remember my own capacity and resourcefulness when I find myself worrying about the future and all the ways that things could go wrong.
So there you go; some gifts and reminders for myself and for you, dear clinician. Let me know which one of these you'd like to take into your life this week.
