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Find Your Smile: CONTROL YOUR RESPONSE

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020

“When you can’t control what is happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is!” 


I think everyone would agree that the beginning of 2020, even more so the month of March, has been anything but ordinary. At this point, the Coronavirus pandemic has pretty much affected every single one of us in some kind of way. Trips have been cancelled, events have been postponed, places have shut down, people have been left stranded in various spots around the world, many have been forced to work from home while others have lost their jobs, teaching and learning have looked very different lately, and of course, toilet paper and hand sanitizer have been in high demand.

Back in early February, I had heard that my ex-colleagues in Vietnam had begun teaching their students online due to school closures as a preventative measure against the spread of COVID-19. At the time, a small part of me was a little jealous as I thought "I've always wondered what it's like to work online!" (like all the digital nomads I came across in Bali) and of course “What a great experience!” As many know, I live for new experiences! Well, just a few weeks later, I was informed that I too would have that same opportunity to teach online. With that being said, I really had not given much thought to everything else that would soon follow.
Teaching Kindergarteners Online From Home
Here in Dubai, I believe it was March 1st 2020 when we were informed that all extra-curricular activities and large gatherings were to be cancelled until further notice. Then, just a few days later, we were told that our end of term holiday would be moved forward by 3 weeks and we were not to travel without a valid reason. Next, came the announcement that following the break, we would be working from home and diving into 2 weeks (or more) of E-Learning. At last, all the closures commenced one after the other: the schools, the clubs, the parks, the gyms, the malls, the beaches, the restaurants, the airports...All of a sudden, it became somewhat of a total lockdown! 
One Of The Last Days At The Gym
I have found it quite interesting watching how everyone has been responding to the pandemic and the various measures being put into place. I’ve seen signs of panic, fear, anger, egocentricity, racism, but of course love, kindness, open-mindedness, selflessness and creativity. 

For the most part, I have tried to remain quite positive about the whole situation. I have been reminding myself that there are things I can’t control, such as the spread of this disease (to a certain extent) and the numerous closures. At the same time, I have also been reminding myself that there are still so many things that are within my control; mainly, how I choose to respond to these challenging times.
Home Workouts
When everything began in early March, I was incredibly positive. However, as time went on, there is no doubt that the situation became more and more difficult to deal with. I’ll admit that I did develop some anxiety; learning how to teach kindergarteners online, living alone, practicing social-distancing, being trapped in a ‘foreign’ country for the indefinite future, having family stuck in other parts of the world...at some point, it did get really tough. 
Living Alone And Practicing Social-Distancing
In spite of all this, I did manage to quickly bounce back once I was reminded of all the positives: I still have a job, I am safe, I am healthy, I can still workout at home, I have a nice place to live, I still have access to good food, my family is doing okay and I have a good group of friends both near and far that I can stay in touch with via social media and video chats.
 Greatful To Have Access To Food

Truthfully, I’ve realized over the last few weeks that the obstacles I have faced in the past living/travelling abroad, dealing with different kinds of people and competing in sports, have all contributed to my development of a stronger mindset. The various experiences I've lived through and the lessons I have learned over the years have greatly impacted the person I am today. I feel like I am now in a better position to respond positively to challenges, to adapt to various situations, as well as to try to focus on the things that are within my control.


Being human, I can still be "weak" from time to time, but I feel as if I can now snap out of it much faster simply because I understand that I am in control of how I respond and adapt to any given situation; it is very likely that the outcome will be positive if my response is positive.

So Thankful For Technology These Days

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