The Who's Down in Whoville Like Christmas A Lot... What?!

Time to read: 46 seconds

I know this is a Christmas show. Bear with me. I'm making a point.

It's hard to know what to say during this pandemic, the appropriate balance of acknowledging the pain and devastation and shining light in the darkness. Today takes you toward light with my favorite cartoon.

The Grinch is my #1 favorite show of all time. When I was in second grade, I painted the Grinch on the library wall at my school. I've watched the show every Christmas for 52 years (assuming I watched it as a baby which is doubtful given my organic-food-limited-TV-no-sugar-1970s parents).

Anyway, the whole point of the Grinch is that this dude called the Grinch steals all the trappings of Christmas from the happy little Who's. When they arise on Christmas morning, everything is gone - food, toys, trees, decorations. The Grinch expects that he has crushed their spirits and listens to hear their cries of anguish.

And what do the Who's do?

They sing.

They stand in a circle and sing. This story speaks to the power of the Who human spirit. The message: your spirt is stronger than the trappings of your life.

In this time when you have been stripped of all the features of your life - volunteer activities, social events, shopping, maybe work, school, even planning for the future, your spirit remains powerful. Your spirit is never for sale, and it can't be compromised.

So, today, I wish you confidence of spirit. You are stronger than the circumstances that surround you. Lean into that spirit to find what you need.

Then sing.

I hope this helps.

Christina

P.S. I wanted to make sure you see the free resources I've created to help you navigate these challenging times. Please pass them around to your people.

1. The Corporate Rebel Daily: We're in the 4th week of meeting every morning at 9:00 CT, M-F. A vibrant community shows up each day, and people report feeling uplifted, connected, and calm. You only have to join once, and then come whenever you can. Bathrobes and hoodies welcome. Sign up to get the Zoom link here.

2. Rebels at Home Challenge: This challenge is a series of eight 3-minute daily video exercises to uplift you and help you find your place in this global pandemic. And it will give you something new to talk about at your next Zoom happy hour. Sign up here.

3. The Unconventional Guide to Working from Home: This is a downloadable pdf of practical tips and big picture strategies to help you be efficient, focused and effective at home. Click to download the pdf here.

When Will Things Go Back To "Normal?"

Time to read: Less than one minute

The short answer to the question is, it won't. "Normal" as we once knew it is never coming back. So in the face of upheaval, what is a Corporate Rebel to do?

Imagine these scenarios:

You don't like your boss. You complain about her and wake up every morning wishing you had a different boss.

or

You have a teen who doesn't talk to you about his life. You ask questions and dig for information but you never get any.

or

The company you work for has been acquired. The business is not doing well and your work days are chaotic. You hate it.

or

A viral pandemic is sweeping the planet and you are trying to work from home, maybe with little kids underfoot, worrying about your loved ones. You just want life to go back to "normal."

Each of these is an example of resistance. Resistance looks like this: wishing for something different and pushing to change things that never change. The energy of resistance puts tremendous stress on you and leaves you depleated.

So what is a rebel to do?

The answer is simple: Acceptance

Acceptance doesn't mean resignation. Accepting something means seeing the truth. It means understanding that something is what it is. Acceptance means getting honest about reality.

When you accept, you drop the fight. You free your energy. Once you accept things as they are, then you can find the path forward. Then you can find opportunity.

Acceptance in all things is one of my goals for 2020 and thank goodness as I've needed it a lot in the past few weeks.

Do this quick exercise: Consider a situation that makes you stressed... like... I don't know... being stuck at home trying to work while homeschooling your kids? Find one thing you can accept in the situation and truly, honestly accept it. Watch what happens.

Then email me and tell me all about it or post to the Corporate Rebel HQ. I love to hear from you.

I've been brainstorming how best to serve you during this challenging time and I'm working quickly on some free resources to help you be productive and calm while working from home.

Coming Soon! The Corporate Rebel's Unconventional Guide to Working from Home AND a Work from Home Challenge. Stay tuned!

The Corporate Rebel Daily, a free 30-minute check-in at 9:00 CT, has been tremendous. It's a positive start to your day and you are welcome to join anytime. Sign up once, join when you can.

With rebel love,

Christina

P.S. Love the Corporate Rebel? Invite your friends to join. They can join us here.

What Should You Do In the Face of the Unknown?

Time to read: 1.15 minutes

This is my pantry. When things are out of control, I do food.

It's been a weird week.

That is the understatement of the century.

You're glued to the news. You wake up to new information each day. Guidelines and recommendations change minute to minute. Kids are home from school. You're working from home. It's confusing and stressful.

I've found it hard to know what to do or how to be.

Daily life has been stripped of all activity which brings us back to basics.

Here are four bedrock basics that provide a firm foundation when the world has gone haywire. I return to them again and again. I hope they give you comfort as this pandemic unfolds.

1. Connect. Most of you are working from home which can be isolating and lonely. Starting Thursday March 19, I'm hosting a daily call at 9:00 CT for 30 minutes so you have a place to touch base, ground, set intentions and connect with others. Sign up once and come whenever you can M-F through at least March 27. It's free. Sign up here.
   
   Please share this opportunity to connect with your friends and colleagues, especially people who live alone.


2. Be compassionate. There is and will be suffering and hardship. Your compassion and friendship matter when others are in pain. Be there for your friends and those you don't even know because that's who you are, and it's the right thing to do.


3. Be of service: In the face of interruption like a worldwide pandemic, gaps become visible. YOU can fill these gaps and find ways to be of service. Look for opportunities to step in.


4. Find ways to leverage your super powers. Find new ways to use your expertise. Offer your social media skills to help colleagues stay connected. Use your project management experience to help your department streamline processes when you're all at a distance. Think about skills that might not seem obvious.

Connection is what I do. So, please come connect with me and others every morning at 9:00 CT. Join here.

In the midst of crisis, interruption and change, you matter! You have the power to make a big difference. Find your spot to serve.

With rebel love,

Christina

P.S. Love the Corporate Rebel? Invite your friends to join. They can sign up for this newsletter here.