By Since joining the iamCrü team I’ve written about the inspiring resurgence of disco, the unexpected joy of pottering around the Twitch ecosystem and the pros and cons of the current social media landscape. Whilst these subjects are deserving of coverage, I found myself wondering if it might be time to address a broader and deeper topic – four steps to living better as we emerge from the restrictions the pandemic placed upon us all.
The global pandemic brought unprecedented lockdowns and precautionary measures as the world grappled to get Covid-19 under control. The past 16 months have also prompted many of us to take stock. Reassessing our work, as well as our traditional leisure habits, many people – including myself – have been pondering how to live better, more fulfilling lives as the world gets back to normal.
Here in the UK, all restrictions have finally been lifted. Clubs are open, dancefloors are filling up and there are numerous festivals on the horizon. It was the moment we’d all been waiting for. However, just 17 hours after restrictions were lifted the UK Government served notice that nightclub visitors will need to be double jabbed from September. The internet lit up with many voicing anger and frustration and others stating that if that was what was needed to keep clubs open then so be it. One thing is clear: clubbing in the UK may never be quite the same again.
Whatever one’s position on this topic it’s yet another reminder of the rapidly shifting sands upon which we attempt to retain our balance. But what to do in these exhausting and anxiety provoking times? I’m suggesting we consider four key touchpoints to help us progress and hopefully find the joy and fulfilment that a life well lived can provide.
Connect
The first of my four steps to living better is connection. As John Donne once wrote, “No man is an island”, and I agree. All 7.9 billion of us clinging on to this rock as it hurtles through space are interconnected. Connecting with other humans is a fundamental desire.
If you love live music and club culture you’ll have missed the roar of the crowd as a key track drops and you look around realising that everyone in the room is connected in that special moment. Anyone who shares a belief system with others will talk of the endless comfort and meaning it brings.
Largely driven by the pause placed on human connection, mental health problems have spiralled over recent months. Yeah, Zoom’s great and all that but a hug from a parent or between grandparents and a grandchild is something of timeless beauty and value.
Seek connection, create connections and life will generally be all the better for it. I asked Nile Rodgers once what his advice was for artists who were feeling a bit down on their luck and maybe lacking in fresh ideas. His answer? “Keep collaborating.” In life, as in music, he comes correct. Connect.
Learn
My second touchpoint is learning. The pursuit of knowledge is one of the engines that drives mankind forward. There is always something new to learn and the vast expanse of stuff we don’t know will always dwarf that which we do. So we keep learning and learn we must. Whilst we’ll always be a work in progress, that work in progress will strengthen with experience and move more deftly with a little extra insight.
In my work life, I like the fact that when problems crop up they might remind me of something similar I encountered eight or 18 years ago. The better understanding I have of the factors at play, the better I can react. Some people hate getting older but I rather like becoming more experienced and developing a better understanding of situations.
Technology, for example, is moving at such a pace that it’s impossible to understand all that’s moving in that space. But it means we continually need to adapt if we want to best take advantage of what the world offers. Remain mentally agile, keep learning and keep youthful.
Accept
The third area is acceptance. This is a big one for my 92-year-old mum who maintains she wouldn’t have survived this long without developing the ability to accept that which she cannot change. Banging your head against a wall in frustration at not being able to fly to Ibiza or join pals in a punky metal mosh pit over recent months damaged only the headbanger. It didn’t move things forward. Turn your attention and focus to that which is doable and try to be at peace with that which is beyond your control. On topics where you feel that your voice needs to be heard, however, speak up and speak out. I’m not advocating a life of silent unquestioning acceptance.
Contribute
The last touchpoint in my four steps to living better is contribution. When someone departs this life, it’s high praise indeed for the individual to be described as someone who left the world a better place for their contributions. It’s also scientifically proven that helping others helps the person doing the helping too. Baking a cake, collecting people’s rubbish, driving a cab… it isn’t only the teachers, actors and musicians of the world who can make it a better place.
All of us can make a difference through small, positive and localised actions. Smile at a stranger in the street. It requires minimum effort yet could be the best thing to happen to the recipient all day. Obviously, it’s way less effective if you’re still masked up but do it anyway! Send out some good vibes and see what the universe sends back. There are no guarantees but even if things go badly you can take solace in your actions and intentions.
So there you have it – connect, learn, accept and contribute. My suggested four steps to living better won’t score a first in philosophy anywhere but it’s helped me out by writing them down. Enjoy the journey and I hope I meet you somewhere along the road.
Main photo: Drew Beamer/Unsplash
Also read: Just Being Social or Time for a Social Media Stocktake?
