Family, friends and neighbors, we’re in this together.
My name is Jay Shifman and I’m ten years in recovery from an Addiction that almost ended my life. That experience taught me something: it’s true when they say it’s always darkest before the dawn. Like my brother in the struggle James Taylor sang, I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. But you know what comes after the rain? The bloom.
We have no idea how or when this is going to end, and we have no idea what’s going to come next. To everyone who has lost loved ones, my heart breaks for you. To those whose life has been turned upside down, the country is here for you even if too many of our elected leaders are not. But I can promise you one thing. There is beauty and there is success and it’s coming!
Great ideas are born of struggle. That podcast that inspires you to do what’s next in your life, it’s being recorded today. That artist who motivates your child to take up painting ten years from now, he was just laid off from his corporate job and is using this period to create brilliance from pain. A future President was fired for refusing to come to work after her company chose wealth over health and is in the process of deciding to turn her fury into her first political activism. Your worst moments never leave you. But if you can fight through them, they’ll motivate you for the rest of your life.
We’ll all remember this period. The struggle, while in no way equal for us all, is unifying. We’ll remember which companies are going above and beyond to assist and put health and safety first. And we’ll remember, conversely, which companies are putting themselves first. We’ve all had these experiences and they’ll keep coming.
The same goes for our friends and neighbors. We’ll remember which ones came home with a minivan full of toilet paper for their family of three. But we’ll also remember that neighbor that went door to door delivering essentials to the elderly. People often show their true selves in times of extreme stress. So tonight, before you go to bed, consider: what will your legacy be?
Do what you need to do for yourself. Make sure you’re taking care of your Mental Health. Spend extra time on self-care and don’t give in to the panic. Don’t listen to that Facebook friend who’s sharing misinformation. It’s like eating marshmallows. It may look like something but inside there’s nothing of substance.
Pause. Take a deep breath. Sit on the grass, in the sun. Take some time to binge watch that series that’s been on your list but allow yourself to dream as well. This isn’t time to kill, waiting for things to get back to normal. Who knows what normal will look when all is said and done? It’s time to regenerate and let your creativity flourish. Who knows? This could be the spring that charts the path of the rest of your life.
Acknowledge the fear. Acknowledge the pain. Acknowledge the rage, anxiety, and despair. It’s real, it’s justified, and it’s rational! And if you’re struggling to deal with those emotions, call your therapist and ask them for help. That’s why they’re there and that’s one of the best ways they can help right now. And if you need someone to talk to, someone who won’t judge your feelings, I’m here. You can find me at my website, www.JayShifman.com.
And when you’re ready, decide what’s next. Invest in you! Choose Your Struggle! If this experience is teaching us anything, it’s that we need to be about us! No one is coming to help us. We’re going to have to do this ourselves. Separate, but together.
So, finally, to quote Chance the Rapper (because he always puts a smile on my face), are you ready for your blessings? Are you ready for your miracles? Let’s do this, America.
