I’ve been desperate to write. It feels like it’s been way way way too long. And when it gets to this point - it’s almost like I can feel the words trying to get out. Skipping around in my head excitedly, eager to escape and organise into something that might be interesting or useful to somebody, somewhere - even if that person is actually me.
And yet I’ve been holding off - playing with ideas and not writing them. Mainly because it feels like the world has enough noise in it right now. And also because it feels like it’s impossible to say something that won’t come across as insensitive, naive or ill-informed.
But this morning, as I was running, I had a word with myself. To not shrink because I’m afraid of offending someone. To not quiet my voice because I’m scared it will be taken the wrong way. Doing either of those things just doesn’t align with who I am (or more accurately who I aim to be - always a work in progress ha ha).
So here comes the disclaimer. I am unbelievably aware of my privilege. I am super mindful of how ridiculously lucky I am on multiple levels - from the fact that I have a home, and running water, and food in my fridge. To the fact that I live in a safe, conflict free environment with a functioning government and in a relatively fair & just society.
And when it comes to this whole covid-19 situation - I live on a tiny island that has not been impacted anywhere near as bad as other places in the world. My work, for the most part, has shifted online but is pretty much unaffected by what’s happening. I live in a little cabin in a big field overlooking the ocean, with access to nature on my doorstep and a veggie patch I share with my folks.
I’ve got it real good. And I’m beyond grateful for that.
So let’s be clear - These words are mine. These thoughts are based on my experience of the world right now - because that’s all I can speak to with any level of authority. And my experience is shaped by who I am - which means it’s skewed by my DNA, my way of thinking and my way of being. I’ve been called ‘relentlessly optimistic’ and right now, more than ever, it feels like a super power.
All that to say - do YOU. If what I’m about to share feels useful to you ? Rad. If it doesn’t - all good.
So here’s where I’m at.
We’ve been in lockdown for a week over here. That means life has, in many ways, looked wildly different to ‘normal’. And as the days have progressed I’ve found myself geeking out on an idea.
When you think about it - for those of us lucky & privileged enough to only be dealing with restrictions to our freedom (as opposed to major health, safety & income related issues), we’re basically living the same day over and over again.
We’re in Groundhog Day.
And I’m finding it fascinating.
Never before have our daily routines been so stripped back. The conditions remaining the same pretty much every day. We’re not racing out the door to go to work. We’re not stacked with face to face meetings. We’re not trying to squeeze in dinners with friends, social gatherings or missions to the gym.
We literally wake up every morning with a blank slate. A whole day ahead of us to design in the way that works best for us.
As I write this I begin to realise why I’m geeking out about it. I love Experience Design - It’s what I loved about running festivals and it’s what I love about the work I do now. Experience Design is often defined as “the conscious act of coordinating interactions that are controllable, acknowledging interactions that are beyond our control and reducing negative interactions”.
The Design Thinking methodology, which plays an important role in Experience Design sits at the foundation of all the work we do at Protect Blue. It's people-centric, non-linear and iterative, which means it requires a human-centred approach, uses rapid prototyping and iterates until we reach the desired outcome.
And right now I’m leaning into this approach more than ever.
I’ve been playing with idea of taking all things ‘experience design’ and applying them to my daily routine - identifying all the variables and starting to experiment & tweak to optimise my day.
The first thing I did - literally on day 1 of lockdown, was to purposely step back from social media & news. I recognised it just wasn’t helpful in any way. There is, of course, a certain amount of vital information that we need to engage with in order to stay safe and be a good and smart human being and to take care of our community. But beyond that ? I’ve become super picky about what I allow in.
There are people I’ve unfollowed on social. Comments I’ve ignored. Platforms that I’m choosing to avoid because they are full of hype/panic/fear & a whole load of BS that emenates from those states of being.
Almost immediately, I felt a difference. My stress levels dropped and any anxiety or fear around the whole situation levelled out to a much more manageable place.
I also became really mindful about the conversations I wanted to engage IN and the people I wanted to (virtually) surround myself with. This alone has shifted my day to day interactions into a much more optimistic, empathetic and purposeful space.
Next up I tweaked my training routine - adding in daily runs & Nike Training work outs. Not hugely different than what I was doing at the gym - but most definitely a vital element that I knew I couldn’t let disappear when that option was no longer viable.
And now, I’m getting more granular - playing with different elements of that routine - like what time I run, which routes I take, how I vary the pace, what music I listen to. So many opportinities to turn the dial this way or that and be curious about what happens.
I’m adding in (where possible) a decent hit of blue mind - whether that’s an ocean swim or just some time outside, at the beach, breathing it all in and raising levels of stoke for when we get to surf again.
I’ve been switching things up from a work perspective too - with check in points at certain times of the day where I’ll zoom out and make sure I’m on track and haven’t fallen down a rabbit hole that has the potential to derail the whole day.
The nutrition side of things is super interesting - I’ve been intermittent fasting for the last couple of years, but mid-week I pushed my start time from 12pm to 1pm. Who knows whether I’ll keep it that way, but that’s the whole point right ? To experiment, to look at the results and then to iterate.
At my favourite addition this week ? - A few moments, right before bed, sitting outside with a blanket, looking at the stars and having some kind of dialogue with this epic planet of ours. A beautiful dose of radical hope. This moment in time is a turning point - and we get to choose what role we play. I’m certain if everyone is a little more connected to nature, we’ve got a far better chance of building a brighter future.
I’m not suggesting you do any of the things I’ve mentioned above. They may or may not be right for you. The point is more about the opportunity to use this time wisely. There will probably never be another time like it. There’s a playful yet really impactful way to pay attention to how you experience life and recognise how much of that experience is totally within your control.
Every night we have the opportunity to reflect on what’s worked and what hasn’t. And every morning, just like some crazy episode of Black Mirror, we wake up to the same conditions and get to try again.
I think that’s pretty fucking spectacular.