We’re going on over two months of quarantine, physical distancing protocols and communities barely open. Here in Bozeman, we still don’t have a projected opening date for public pools and gyms are restricted in their phased opening.
More and more 2020 races are getting postponed or cancelled altogether.
Before the outbreak, we all had human brains with human thoughts and now we have our same human brains with the extra layer of uncertainty that COVID-19 threw in the mix.
Uncertainty is a hard thing for us to deal with, but we forget to recognize that we’re always dealing with uncertainty.
None of us knows what will happen in the future. Ever.
The reality of our experience with COVID-19 is now we’re all dealing with a heightened level of collective uncertainty.
We try to control the world around us, in an effort to keep ourselves safe. And when we cannot control the world around us, we spend time worrying and in fear.
What is certain is that uncertainty will remain. But, as an individual we have a choice in how we respond or react.
A response is thoughtful. A reaction is automatic.
By default, your brain will want to remind you of all of the terrible things that “could” and “probably will” happen. Your brain LOVES drama. That’s because our brains are wired to scan the world for danger and even create stories to intensify the threat. Those stories and intensified threat are what ignite our worry and fear.
In order to control the narrative, we have to be intentional. We have to remind our brains that the best case scenario is actually far more likely than the worst case scenario. When we give equal air time to both scenarios, we remind our brains of possibility and choice. We choose to respond rather than react.
When you read this sentence:
We may race in late 2020 or we may not race at all in 2020.
What thoughts come to mind? What emotion do you feel? How do you act? When you feel uncertainty, what do you do?
I challenge you pay attention to what comes up and to be more intentional. Write down the worst case scenario, the facts of what is true and the best case scenario.
Worst outcome: There are no races in 2020, I lose all of my fitness and give up on my goal.
Facts: I am continuing to train consistently, I do not have access to a pool, but I am using swim bands 2-3x/week, I am sleeping more because I don’t have to wake up as early, I am working on physical limitations like mobility that I did not make time for
Best outcome: Races open (safely!) in 2020, I get to race my A race and come out of this stronger than I went in.
We may race in late 2020 or we may not race at all in 2020. Both are possibilities.
If you find yourself fixated on the worst case scenario, know that you’re just human. It’s normal, but not necessary.
