As an experiment, for my own happiness and a way to serve I am going to chronicle as a diary some of my thoughts (ups and downs) and actions during this pandemic. Things that I am doing and finding beneficial to my all round happiness and well being many based on the themes shared in Together in Isolation .

During this pandemic I have been craving for connection both people to people and grateful for the technology connections, I guess with the previous articles on Happier Relationships and what I have learnt over time I understand the importance of this to our happiness, well being and mental health. I have also been through the turbulence of insecurities and validation issues.

So, a request dear friend and reader

(1) If you have enjoyed some of the articles I have shared and found useful please reply to shaileen@happylifehabits.co.uk and let me know.

(2) If you are not a subscriber to the Happy Life Habits email list - please sign up.

(3) While doing (1) if you would be interested in free 30 min video conference calls for Happiness Boosters - connection and sharing, during these times let me know if morning, afternoon or evening preference and weekday and/or weekend. I will endeavour to serve.

(4) If you think someone else might benefit from this please share with them.

More will become clear as you read the rest of the article.

Week Commencing 16 March 2020

We are in the early stages of the pandemic and lots of fear and confusion is prevalent. Many things getting postponed, cancelled or closed - life is changing day by day. During the start of that week I was focused on the task of writing the Together in Isolation article to capture some for the sentiments and share how I and others are coping with it. What is helping us find certainty in uncertain times. For 2.5 days I was fully engrossed and in a flow state with this task being creative, resourceful, reflective and connecting with my communities. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt I had produced a good quality, useful article especially as I am one of the most optimistic, positive and happy person I know and if I was feeling fear, uncertainty and unhappy during these times others must also be. During which I got the idea to have some online sessions to connect and share ideas. As is my nature, I wanted to share far and wide ,so I posted in WhatsApp groups, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I got some feedback from some people that they found the article useful. However seeing other articles/videos/posts being widely shared on the various mediums and mine not so much I felt it was not valued so much, including articles I had written previously which I felt were rich in content.

This compounded with seeing messages over time of peers getting various speaking slots, book launches or acknowledgement was having a knock on my self esteem.

Add to this where I set up 3 free online sessions on The International Day of Happiness (20 March) to have happiness boosters, connect, share content and conversation hoping to positively impact as many as possible and having 1 or 2 people only join each call made me wonder if what I am doing has any value. If I can’t give it away for free how am I going to make a living out of it later on?

I was grateful for the people who did take the opportunity and join the call. Some were friends and family, one was a complete stranger. Even if it was one person, I had a lovely time connecting with them, each sharing responses to a few questions and getting a better insight on life. I felt connected, I learnt and developed skills and felt I was able to positively impact Happiness and Well Being Levels. I felt energised and uplifted after the sessions. While helping others I was helping myself. This gave me validation that there is value in what I am doing. I am fulfilling Happy Life Habits mission of Positively Impacting Happiness & Well Being Levels and I am living my personal mission statement. Using the graphic of what I can control and what I can not control has reminded me to focus on what I do, keep improving and adding value. Not to get distracted by what others think or what others are doing.

Hence I intend to offer more such sessions - I don’t know the timing or frequency therefore the request at the start of the article. For now I will share details on website and Happy Life Habits WhatsApp Group.

What I’m doing

• I am keeping a focus on what I can control - the image for this article being related to the Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People .

• I am observing my thoughts, feelings and actions.

• I am rebuilding and installing new routines and behaviours

• I am reducing the noise and distractions

• I am staying connected

• I am keeping a flexible structure

• I am prudent with how I am using my time

• I am learning , growing and serving

• I am applying the 7 Habits as well as other learning from Personal Development, The Science of Happiness and Spirituality

With our whole household now at home or working from home we need to actively build new routines, plans and be organised.

What is helping me is

• Continuing my happiness practice of using my Happiness Journal each day and every day

• Regularly meditating or being mindful

• Going for walks during the day to get some fresh air, exercise and activity

• Making sure we have some fresh foods (fruit and veg in the diet) along with good hydration

• Making plans, to do lists, shopping lists and potential menus

• I am not watching or following news actively - a little in the morning and then the UK Government Boris Johnson 5 pm live conference

• I am keeping my phone on silent for much of day, have many notifications switched off and not looking at everything I receive on WhatsApp or email. Each day clearing out the messages.

• From 21 Day Simple Living Challenge, a challenge early on was to tackle your inbox. Across my various email accounts I filed some useful emails and then mass selected, some of which had been parked for 3 years or more to be read and just zapped them. It felt good and had inboxes that I could see on the screen without scrolling! I need to redo that exercise again after receiving Covid 19 emails from all accounts where I am subscribed.

• I am finding great benefit in taking part in 21 day challenge that I hosted on Simply Living. Some wonderful ideas and shared insights. The challenge was from start of March as pandemic unfolded in Europe to 21st March. It helped me focus on things I could do, positivity, gave a routine and via the platform website reading and commenting others insights made me feel connected

• Due to the benefit I have gained from the 21 day Challenge I have set up more challenged back to back on Reverence, Kindness, Mindfulness and Gratitude to see me though the next few months of the pandemic.

• KarunaVirus reponding with compassion is an initiative by ServiceSpace the same organisation behind the 21 Day Challenge Project. This website is a collection of positivity and compassion shown during the pandemic from around the world.

• I am reducing my time on Facebook and LinkedIn - they are useful but easier to get stuck in noise and lose time

• In terms of connection the online video conference is what I am finding works for me best. As mentioned in Together in Isolation

The Jain School, Shree Chadana Vidhya Peeth (SCVP) started zoom video online adults classes so we took part in that.

The Museum of Happiness have online sessions.

The Awakin meditation circles I enjoy are now a online offering.

For Young Jains we discussed at the weekend and developed a set of sessions called “Enriching Conversations” : Online conversations by Young Jains, to help stay connected, share insights and remain centred. The first theme being “Finding Calm in the Chaos”.

Over the weekend we set up some video conference calls with some from my side of the family and a separate one with my wife’s. These were incredibly beneficial to see, talk with and share with family from all around the UK as well as outside of UK. We shared the impact the pandemic was having on us, what we were doing and what we found useful. It also was so beautiful to have the elder generation (self isolating - vulnerable, high risk) able to take part. I found this to be very nourishing and grateful that technology is available to allow this.

Based on all these experiences and my craving to connect as mentioned at the start I am going to hold Happy Life Habit Booster sessions. Just get in touch if interested.

• I am continuing to find opportunities to learn and grow. The above are some as well as choosing some online training to partake in as well as reading (which was part of my routine prior to pandemic anyway). I have just finished the awesome 933 page Shantaram which I started at the start of the month after having been lent the book 4 years or so ago.

Until the next instalment of “The Ups & Downs of a Happy Coach”, stay safe, stay connected, be happy, help others, wash your hand and follow the guidelines.

A request dear friend and reader.

(1) If you have enjoyed some of the articles I have shared and found useful please reply to shaileen@happylifehabits.co.uk and let me know.

(2) If you are not a subscriber to the Happy Life Habits email list - please sign up.

(3) While doing (1) if you would be interested in free 30 min video conference calls for Happiness Boosters - connection and sharing, during these times let me know if morning, afternoon or evening preference and weekday and/or weekend. I will endeavour to serve.

(4) If you think someone else might benefit from this please share with them.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good; supporting the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.