May 2020

Everyone had the highest of hopes for 2020 didn’t they? It seems like somewhat of a cosmic joke that here we are, a quarter of the way through and we’re confined to our homes, isolated from our friends and family and looking back on 2019 like it was a vacation in the Bahamas. There are worse things, of course, than being asked to stay home for the good of mankind and for the most part, people are rallying to do the right thing and get this pandemic behind us. Having said that, I’m hearing a lot of complaining about being confined to the house and I think it’s important for the sake of our mental health and our ability to get through the next few months that we get a little perspective.

First of all, let’s thank 2020 for Netflix, Apple TV, Stan, or whatever streaming service you have offering you entertainment on demand. Then let’s take a moment to imagine what this would have been like back when video calling friends and family wasn’t completely accessible to almost everyone. And hold that thought… imagine if this had been before NBN, or worse, when we had dial-up Internet! For everyone who remembers dial-up Internet, you probably gasped internally at the mere thought. For those who don’t know what that is, you’ll never comprehend the patience required to wait two minutes for a web page to load, only for it to crash five seconds later. And then there are home delivery food services. What a world we live in where we can have ice cream delivered on a whim, without even having to extricate ourselves from our couch, or at least stepping further than two feet from our doorstep.

Just yesterday I was instant messaging (thanks IM) with a friend and he told me he has personal training three times a week over video call with his trainer. I mean, how much have we to be grateful for that we can work in our pyjamas, have ice cream delivered to our doorstep and still work it off the next day with a full on HIIT session coached entirely online? All the while keeping us safe and cosy at home.

Sure it’s different, sure it’s hard, and of course there is no substitute for seeing our friends in real life, but a little perspective goes a long way. For our mental health, I think it would help if we focused more on what we have to be grateful for. And there’s a lot.

In the best possible circumstances, being asked to avoid everyone we know and love is going to cause stress and anxiety for so many of us, but adding the menace of a life-threatening infection to the mix elevates this to an extremely high-stress experience. So we need to find the good and we need to elevate the moments of connection.

As a creative events/experiences-based company, it’s in our DNA to engage and socialise, and despite these unprecedented times we’re committed to continuing to do that – safely of course. It’s why we believe in the power of unique blended event/experiences where online meets offline, to help our clients host their important events in a way that ensures staff and customers are truly immersed in the experience. Whether it’s goodie bags sent to people’s homes in time for a seminar, or hosting award ceremonies with all the trimmings you’d expect from the real life event, many of our clients are looking to celebrate and continue their with events this way and it’s going to make all the difference in the world we’ve temporarily found ourselves in.

Whatever way you’re spending ISO, take a moment to breathe, look around, and appreciate that you aren’t stuck at home; you’re safe at home. We have technology and capability at our fingertips to create powerful moments that connect us. So make a dent in your to-be-read list, learn something new online (thanks high-speed Internet) and check in with your loved ones as much as possible.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve

Originally published on Adnews. Check it out here: https://www.adnews.com.au/opinion/gratitude-for-our-ability-to-connect-in-2020-iso

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