I don't know about you, but I've been overwhelmed! All of my gigs have been canceled because of The Virus (audible gasp from audience), just like every other storyteller I know. However, as I went online, I saw many of my colleagues being able to reinvent themselves quickly. They are making videos, posting stories, writing papers, gathering people into groups, and getting things online.
It felt like everyone was doing something to keep their business running except me. I felt like I couldn't breathe. It wasn't just because my income suddenly went down to zero, or that the world was being quarantined, it was that after seeing what everyone else was doing, I didn't know what I should do. Should I post lessons online, what would I post? Maybe I can reschedule my gigs for later, but how long will we be in quarantine? I was so confused. I even thought that perhaps I should quit storytelling altogether. It seemed as though I was the turtle standing in the middle of a 'herd' of hares (FYI a group of hares is called a "drove," but "herd" fits my mood better).
Then it hit me: I needed a cup of tea and a break from social media. After the second cup of tea and a cookie, I asked myself this question, "What have you been waiting to do until it was warm, and you had the time?" There it was. I needed to clean out and organize my puppet and construction sheds. They had been waiting for me all winter. So I spent two days moving boxes around and getting sheds a bit more in order. No, I am not finished with them yet, but they are looking much better.
COVID-19 will cause us all to do things differently. I have found myself on loads of ZOOM meetings, sometimes 4-5 a day. I continuously get posts on what colleagues are doing. I have a computer, tablet, and phone, all of which are connected to the internet. It still overwhelms me – I feel like I can't keep up. But it is in those overwhelming moments I go back to that cup of tea and remember I have a direction: the puppet and construction sheds.
What have you been putting off and waiting to do until you had the time? Writing a story, learning an instrument, going back and reading all of those notes you took when you attended a workshop? Take the time and do it. Read that novel, research that new story. Step back from what everyone else is doing and do what you need to do. I've realized that I might not win the race against all those hares, but I will most certainly finish it.
Give me a call, and we'll have a cup of tea online, which is an acceptable distance.