This is a unique & unprecedented time. The current hysteria going on regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, whether justified or not, has certainly created a situation that has never been seen before in recent history, certainly not in my lifetime. Besides the obvious concerns people may have over the illness itself, this pandemic and the subsequent response to it, has brought with it a host of other issues. From schools, and business being shut down, people being laid off of work, bare shelves at grocery stores, concerns over the accompanying sharp economic downturn, and the general uncertainty about how to continue our daily lives in this new era of "social distancing". It is, by any definition, a crisis.
I will be the first to admit, like many others, this situation has me concerned. My livelihood is based around teaching Jiu-jitsu, which, by its very nature, involves close personal contact. Based on the best information available, and following recommendations from medical experts and government officials, I was forced to make the very difficult decision to close the doors to my academy, something that I have poured my heart & soul into for the past 10 years of my life. Even though, I anticipate it to be a temporary situation, it is still very scary and has the potential to have an enormous and direct impact on myself, my family, and my business.
While I wish I had some definitive answers, the nature of this situation makes it very uncertain for all of us. However, I am a strong believer that life is not how you make it, but how you take it. So, here's how I'm choosing to deal with this crisis. We talk often about how Jiu-jitsu is just a template for life, and how the many lessons we learn on the mat can be applied outside to our daily lives. This couldn't be any more true than now. Right now, we've just been knocked down on our back, with someone on top controlling us, smashing us, and trying to choke us out. Even though this particular situation is unique, Jiu-jitsu has taught me that I've been in tough spots before, I've survived, I've escaped, and I've overcome those situations. Generations before us have dealt with similar hardships, and they've survived.
I'm choosing a measured response to this crisis, based on the principles of the 7-5-3 code:
"Awareness"-staying up to date with the latest information on the evolving situation, and take prudent and responsible measures to keep myself, my family, and my students safe & healthy;
"Emotional Balance"-not underestimating, not overreacting, maintaining a calm mental state, not panicking;
"Flow"-staying engaged, finding ways to continue my daily life, work, and activities
I'm choosing to maintain a positive mindset. I truly believe that while situations like this certainly will test our mental fortitude, and while they are not fun at the time, they have the potential to make us stronger if we view them in the right perspective. The Japanese Kanji (character) for the word "Crisis" is composed of two other characters....one for "danger", and one for "opportunity". I am choosing to use this crisis as an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to find new and creative solutions to problems I didn't even know were a possibility a few weeks ago.
In recent days, I have seen our families, our communities, and our nation, starting to come together, and to help each other in our time of need. I have seen recently so many social media posts from people in the community extending their help & support to each other, and have received countless personal messages of support and encouragement. I know that we will get through this-my family, my team, and my academy will get through this, and we will all come out stronger and better for it on the other side. While this situation is admittedly a little scary and daunting to say the least, it has already forced me to change my approach and come up with new ideas, that I think, in the long run, will continue to benefit me and my students long after this current situation is over.
I encourage you all to stay strong, stay positive, and keep supporting each other. This is a temporary situation and a learning experience, and this too shall pass!
