An important polarity to manage during COVID-times

In times like these, with so much change and disruption, many people are feeling uncertain, anxious, unmoored.

Surrounded by scary statistics, negative news, and contexts that are changing moment by moment, it's not hard to see how a human brain can become panicked. 

We can lurch between getting caught up worrying about ourselves ("What's going to happen to me?  Am I safe?  Is my job secure?") and worrying about others ("Are my loved ones safe?  Are they taking the precautions seriously?  How are they coping with the restrictions?").

Today I want to share a tool that I hope will not only help you cope but also grow through these challenging times.

It's called a Polarity Map.

A polarity is an interdependent pair of opposites that are both desirable and required over time for a sustainable self and system.  (For example, Firm & Yielding, Centralization & Decentralization, Ordered & Flexible, Yin & Yang, Self-care & Caring for others.)

To create a Polarity Map, you start by naming the two poles.  Then you list the upsides of leaning into each pole and the downsides that arise from getting stuck in or overplaying each pole (see example map below).

Unlike a problem, to which we want to seek a solution, a polarity is essentially two parts of the same whole - we need both - so it's something we need to manage.  We thrive when we can find ways that allow us to flow between the poles so that we can experience the upsides of both.

The benefit of creating a Polarity Map is that it then becomes possible to see where you are in the system.  (Which pole are you currently embracing?  Are you in the upside or downside?)

Being conscious of where we are helps us shift from 'either/or' to 'both/and' thinking so that we can experience the benefits of both poles, and enjoy the sustainability that ensues.

Take care of yourself out there.  And take care of others.