Goodbye “Pivot”!
Please! Another word for 2020!
What is another word for ‘pivot’? Please! 2020 has had us pivot in our jobs, in our schools, in our everyday tasks. Heck, we’ve even had to pivot in how we pivot!
Today my mind is full of energy and optimism for what may lie ahead. Don’t get me wrong, we still live in An Unsettled House, but, as we navigate these trying times, a few things always rise to the surface.
Out of necessity comes innovation…all change is not “bad”…what we do today really will have an impact on tomorrow. Choose wisely. And, of course, the “make lemonade” scenario.
I’ve said since early on with all of the challenges this pandemic has given us, our ability to ‘pivot’ is a great strength. We are fighters, we are clever, we are resilient. Especially our children. Kids are going to come out of this with a skillset that will forever be an asset to them. I know it has been hard…I’ve heard parents lament over missed dances, sports seasons and even graduations for their children. I am one of those parents whose daughter experienced the last semester of her college program being upended. No graduation cap and gown, no ceremony, no party, not even an opportunity for a dinner out. I get it. It made me sad. But, yep, BUT. But my daughter showed grace, tenacity, willpower, emotional intelligence, perseverance and good old-fashioned GRIT. She moved with the changes and challenges to get her job done. She videoed her labs, her skills. She taught herself through online classes. She found a way to get it done. I am so proud of her.
I’ve watched my teacher friends go from a classroom of children to a screenful of children with determination to make it work. I’ve seen tears (on both sides of that screen) as we work to keep things moving forward. I’ve seen parents and children create spaces for learning out of nooks in their homes that once were unseen corners. Parents juggle Zoom Meetings and Zoom Classes. Children learn how to use their words to help their teacher figure out a technical glitch. I’ve also seen incredible creativity, kindness, laughter as not only a connector but a healer. I have talked with friends and family in healthcare. Front lines, sidelines, behind the scenes…so many everyday heroes that are showing us what we can do when we need to, have to, want or don’t want to…I am so proud of them.
I am so proud of Us. Not every day is perfect, most are far from that. I know we haven’t done our best in a lot of ways…and we can still learn from that and ‘pivot’…but I prefer to think that, in these days where we are now looking at a very different, very challenging, season ahead, that we will ‘embrace’ what we can do with this time, with our talents, with our creativity and individual skill. We can get through and ‘embrace’ a different kind of holiday season, ‘embrace’ the different to create something memorable, something good, something special. We can ‘embrace’ what comes next. And, so, Embrace is my new Pivot. How about you? Will you Embrace the Possibilities with me? If even for a day…imagine what we can accomplish together.