Parth Sawhney - Thriving in the New Normal: An Eight-Week Program to Safeguard Your Holistic Health and Help You Grow Through Adversity

Thriving in the New Normal

Parth Sawhney

This book is dedicated to the Corona Warriors all around the world the true Bravehearts who are fighting on the front line and working day and night courageously and tirelessly to help us all win this war against the deadly COVID-19 virus.

I salute you for your incredible efforts, and respect and honor your selflessness and your unwavering dedication and commitment in managing this global health crisis.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of you!

Message From the Author

C OVID-19 is here and it has become a serious threat. No matter where you are on the planet, we are all going through a difficult time right now. Yes, these are uncertain times, the economy is hit, public places are closed, most of us have lockdowns in our countries, and we are all advised to stay indoors as much as possible. I'm staying indoors here in my home, taking all precautions and staying safe.

Whether you like it or not, trust me you're doing the right thing and performing your civic duty by isolating yourself in your house. I know it's tough but self-quarantine is the best and most effective strategy to stave off this global pandemic and "flatten the curve."

This means you would be either working from home, or worse, not working at all because your workplace is shut down. Just because you're confined to your living room doesn't mean that you must start binge-watching shows and movies on Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Disney Plus. Nor does it imply that you can waste your time playing video games for endless hours.

My sincere suggestion is to use your precious time and attention wisely and try to focus a major portion of your time on uplifting and productive pursuits, on learning and improving, on what Robert Greene calls "alive time."

Along with that, it's important that we protect our mind, body, heart, and soul and not let negativity and toxicity control us. These are unprecedented times, and let's face it, when we are isolated and imprisoned in our own homes, it can be easy to become bitter and angry, to become more selfish and look out only for ourselves and our family. We've already seen it with people panicking about certain essential supplies and hoarding them for no logical reason, taking much more than they needed, leaving little to no essentials for others. This is insane and goes against our human nature. If you're one of the panickers and hoarders, you can't change the past and your immature behavior, but you can certainly be more prudent and selfless in the coming times.

Here's a key idea that I want to share with you: Be good . Practice kindness and compassion on a daily basis, whether you're home alone or not.

Be in constant touch with your parents and your grandparents. Or anyone you know who is especially at risk of complications from this virus. Check in on the less privileged and elderly in your community. Stay home and stay safe, but also help whenever and wherever you can while keeping your distance.

As tragic the world affairs are at this moment, we all must understand that Coronavirus is not the first or the worst global pandemic that we humans have faced. Nor is it going to be the last one. It's futile to constantly worry about this crisis and how bad things will get in the immediate future. What matters the most is how we are all going to show up and handle this worldwide emergency. In every challenging situation, we have a choice: to let fear and panic overpower us or to show up as responsible global citizens and work together for the good of the whole.

We can all practice the Stoic notion of sympatheia . We are not alone, we are part of something bigger than ourselves. The truth is that when others suffer, we suffer. When the world goes through pain due to a catastrophe, we go through that pain as well. To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, what's bad for the hive is bad for the bee as well. We are not citizens of one particular country, we're all citizens of the world. What harms the world community, also harms the individual. The sooner we accept this notion of cosmopolitanism, the bigger impact and contribution we'll be able to make. We are all part of the same mighty living being. We all share the resources of the same planet. Instead of cultivating a narrow-minded perception of life, we need to take a broader perspective. We all have a duty to work for the greater good. It's important that we show up as the best versions of ourselves in this crisis. That we let go of our selfish concerns and look after each other, after all, we're all in this together.

We must become an effective leader, a humanitarian, and be a good example in this global catastrophe. These times demand us to do and give our best.

So, let's be good and practice kindness and selflessness as much as possible. Be safe, stay away from fear and panic, and just keep these words always in your perspective: This too shall pass.

Peace + Love,

Parth

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy."

Martin Luther King Jr.

"I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains."

Anne Frank

"You have power over your mind not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."

Marcus Aurelius

WEEK I: AWARENESS

D ay 1

BALANCING BETWEEN FEAR AND AWARENESS

W hen it comes to our future, it's uncertain and unpredictable. We don't know what is in store for us and it's hard to estimate the ratio of good or bad, happiness or suffering, good luck or ill-luck that we would experience. The future is vast and has infinite possibilities, and it's best to cultivate a balanced approach to it. We need to prepare for an uncertain and even dangerous future, but not worry about it at the same time.

So how do we do this and walk on the middle path? By simply living in the present moment. There may be a forecast for a thunderstorm tomorrow, but that doesn't mean you can't go to the beach today and soak in the sea and sunshine. Why worry about tomorrow today? Instead, live today to the fullest and face the perils of tomorrow when they come. Of course, this doesn't mean you need to be negligent and act recklessly, but plan accordingly and develop a balanced approach between fear and awareness. Prepare for the challenges that may come your way in the future, but don't let them overwhelm you and ruin your present. As the beast whisperer, Newt Scamander says, "My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice."

It's useful to perform the Stoic exercise of negative visualization, premeditatio malorum , to contemplate and prepare ourselves for the evils that we may encounter in the future, but as we do this exercise, we should also not discount the good things that may happen. And it's entirely possible that the bad stuff that we are gearing for may never even take place. It's like acquainting ourselves with the safety instructions when we board an airplane and having the safety manual tucked in front of our seats all along our journey. We can enjoy our flight when we are cruising up in the air, not worrying about any misfortune, but if something bad happens, at least we have the required knowledge and guidance about what we should do. We are aware of the risks, but if we get too afraid and let them overwhelm us, we lose the opportunities to take in the breathtaking views from outside. As Seneca said, "It is likely that some troubles will befall us; but it is not a present fact. How often has the unexpected happened! How often has the expected never come to pass! And even though it is ordained to be, what does it avail to run out to meet your suffering? You will suffer soon enough, when it arrives."