It’s definitely not easy running a business, even on a “normal” day but what’s happening in the world right now takes things to a whole other level of challenge on so many fronts.

No one is speaking about Q3 or Q4, because people aren’t able to plan so far ahead amidst so much uncertainty. We have moved into unchartered waters in an unprecedented era in our history. The global pandemic of Covid-19 has brought industries across the globe to a standstill.

It was as if the world as you knew it, got hit by a truck, and everything changed in the blink of an eye from the way we moved to the way we interacted with each other to the way we went grocery shopping.

This movement control order (MCO) is really testing us in so many different ways along with so many other nations in various states of lockdown. There are those who feel they are going mad from the boredom of being stuck at home, like a bird trapped in a cage.

There are those who are using this “downtime” to slow down and enjoy a much needed break. There are those looking at redesigning their lives because they are unsure if what they’re doing now might still be required after this period in time.

And there are so many who have suffered pay-cuts or suddenly lost their jobs altogether. The fickle finger of fate has moved across our lives, destroying so many old structures and ways of being.

We need to rethink what worked last month as though it was “old school” and reboot, rewire, or find new revenue streams and fresh ways of being relevant to survive this crisis.

In an ironic way, this lockdown period is forcing us to be present today, because we don’t really know what tomorrow will look like.

This brings me back to the ancient wisdom of my yogic teachings.

Any sage or mindfulness teacher in the world will tell you that life will always be unpredictable but in order for the mind to settle into one place, it needs to be “here” in the moment of now. The “monkey mind” will only wreak havoc as it will make it especially hard for us to focus on “today”.

Yet, living in the present is where one’s real power lies because we cannot change “yesterday” and we certainly cannot control “tomorrow” as it has not arrived yet.

As the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “To live in the future, is to live with anxiety” so in order to regain your power, you need to take control of the only moment you have any control over. It’s this precise moment of now.

We need to find ways to live in the present when everything we’ve taken for granted is now being challenged.

For instance, we might have assumed that we could book a flight anywhere in the world to attend our best friend’s wedding, or to simply walk out our front doors tomorrow, or drive to a cinema to catch that flick we’ve been meaning to all week.

Yet, none of this is possible right now during the MCO period. It really challenges one’s perspectives and how we never thought our freedom would be restricted to the point that you would be facing roadblocks if you ventured beyond your neighbourhood or travelled to do anything considered not essential or necessary right now.

Just remember that perception is reality so if you perceive your home as a prison, then it will make you feel trapped but if you view your home as a sanctuary, the same home can make you feel grateful and safe.

Your home could also be a creative playground for new ideas to develop in a period where all other distractions can be blissfully screened out for you to finally do the reading and up-skilling you might have been meaning to do, for your own personal growth.

No matter what you choose to do with this time on your hands, make sure you find ways to be living the moment of “now”.

In fact, if you would like to deepen your sense of being fully present at any moment in your day, or whenever you’re starting to feel anxious, I would like to invite you to pause and try this simple exercise.

Simple breathing technique to reduce stress and calm the nervous system

• Take a deep breath in right now, and hold it for three counts or more
• Now purse your lips as if you’re about to blow air out through a straw.
• Slowly exhale as you breathe out. You may notice a slight whooshing sound.
• Do several cycles of this in order to truly connect with the present moment.
• You might want to close your eyes so that it removes all visual distractions. Really listen to the breath.

In any crisis, one of the most important things to remember is to remain calm, no matter what. Try to find some stillness in the midst of all this chaos.

You could start doing this by connecting more with your own breath and allowing it to anchor you in the present. Let us focus on the “gift” of individual reflections and realisations that might be presented to us, with the unique lessons they bring to us at this moment in time.

Like the many storms we have all weathered, I’m sure this too shall pass. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes anyway.

Jojo Struys is the founder of OhanaJo Studio. She is offering Free Online Mindfulness, Yoga and Meditation sessions by donations every day during the MCO period in an effort to help Malaysians stay physically fit and emotionally more calm, during this difficult time.

You can check out their online classes on https://www.ohanajo.com/