What the world needs now…

We all yearn to be more human, more connected, and more in tune with each other than we already are. So…now in our time of social distancing or cocooning or self-imposed quarantining, being human to each other may be tougher than usual.

If you are like me, you’ve been taking care of the family, the pets, looking for a book to read, or a movie to watch or a game to play. Maybe you’ve been able to go for a walk or like me cleaned out a closet or two. A good part of the day is spent on the phone talking with friends and family members.

And still, I wonder about what else I can and should be doing. Sure, I’m writing 500 new words each day for the first draft of the third book in the Star O’Brien series. Of course, the television, although muted, is on in the background. With all of this, I really thought about what to write on my blog today. I thought about what can I do to get myself and family through this difficult time. I keep hearing about the whole America response to getting through this reality. All of this brought me to think about a leadership book that I published in 2008. Why? Because each of us must be a leader now. So I dug the book out of my closet and read through the pages, looking for inspiration. The chapter on Emotional Intelligence (EI) is what I settled on.

I’ll post some of the EI ideas in the form of questions: How well am I listening? Am I demonstrating compassion and empathy when I communicate with others? (This has been difficult today when the puppy ate part of the carpet in the living room.) When I’m ready to lose it because we’ve all been cooped up in the house, do I have a way to regain my center?

I don’t know if any of this helpful. I know I just want to help. And keep everyone around me feeling well and thinking positive. So…I’ll be listening more while communicating compassion and empathy…even with the puppy.

In the meanwhile, keep the love going. Stay safe and good. Martha