There was a time when we were all completely fed up with the term ‘new normal’. It started out life being a useful way to describe what was happening to us, almost as if putting a name to the whole situation made it seem not so bad. Then the term started to feel meaningless as it rapidly became overused and abused. Finally, it became annoying as it became just a lazy way of actually saying nothing and the expression simply ran out of steam and felt empty of significance.
Funny how words can go very quickly from hero to zero! They’re only words after all – or are they? Perhaps not. Perhaps the words are important and if they lose their value for reasons beyond our control, or even beyond our ken, it might be worth trying to find new ones?
Values and beliefs
‘Values and beliefs’ is a little phrase which I’ve always thought could do with a bit of freshening up. As with ‘new normal’, people tend to groan when they hear it or become suspicious of the person using it. When the term was first used, I’m sure it was with genuine and authentic intellectual purpose, but as time goes by, it starts to sound fusty and maybe even pretentious.
So, with our country on the brink of a General Strike, our football team knocked out of the World Cup and the wintry weather making our daily lives very tricky at times, is perhaps now a good time for a bit of inner reflection? Should we be striving for a new ‘new normal’, should we be thinking again about our values and our beliefs when they are tested daily by the legitimate and yet painful acts of striking workers all around us? Should we just be taking time out to reset?
Empathy, understanding and listening
Perhaps we should give the last word to Gareth Southgate as his actions have been more under the spotlight than anybody just lately. With complete integrity, we have bowed out of the World Cup, but no one is in any doubt we have been represented brilliantly as a nation. Empathy, understanding and listening have been some of the values on display for all to see and rejoice in. The right words have doubtless been found when they were needed and, more importantly, communicated to good effect. When asked what would happen if England were to lose to France, Southgate simply answered that he still expected the sun to come up the following day and life to carry on the same, no matter what. Given the circumstances, those measured words demonstrated beautifully what values and beliefs guided our brilliant performance in Qatar and hopefully will continue to be a source of pride well into the future too!