Hey, it's Marie Forleo, and welcome to a very special episode of the Marie Forleo podcast.
So as we all know, a lot has happened in these past few weeks, and especially in these past
few days as it relates to the coronavirus epidemic.
So there are five things I want to talk about in today's podcast, and we're going to dig
right in.
First and foremost, I hope you and your family are well, I hope you guys are safe.
So I'm actually recording this podcast in my kitchen in Los Angeles, and I'm here with
Josh and Kuma.
So on our team, we actually canceled our upcoming Marie TV shoot and any travel that I had my
calendar, for obvious reasons, and personally, we're prepared to hunker down and just stay
put inside for the next four to six weeks or honestly, as long as needed.
I'm prepared to do whatever the heck I can to help flatten this damn curve, and I hope
you are too.
For the past week, I've been on the phone and doing lives and doing video chats with
my team, with our B-School students and my loved ones, because I want to help put things
into perspective.
My goal as a human always is to help find solutions, but right now, what I want to help
everyone I know do, including myself, is transform any panic into some preparedness, some problem
solving, and some purposeful action.
Here's what I know to be true in my heart.
I'm 100% certain that if we pulled together as a global family, we're going to make it
through this, and look, I wrote a number one New York Times bestseller called Everything
is Figureoutable, and yes, I believe the coronavirus is figureoutable too.
Here's the other thing, I've been talking about this a lot with Josh.
I think that something in this crisis, that there is an opportunity for us to grow stronger
and wiser and more resilient on the other side, but I've got to be honest, based on
the facts, and I'm a person who likes to pay attention to the facts, I do feel strongly
that the most important step that each of us can take right now is to stay home and
stay well.
So look, if you're listening and you're not one of the heroines or one of the heroes who's
in the medical community or you're not one of the folks, the heroines or the heroes that
are working in our grocery stores or in our pharmacies, or making sure that society can
keep functioning as best as it possibly can right now, please stay home, because here's
the truth from my point of view.
The more of us that can stay home and stay healthy, the faster that collectively we're
going to move through this coronavirus.
The other day I was connecting with folks on Instagram, and a woman named Jess, a member
of our community, she's a physician's assistant, she's on the front lines, and here's her comment.
This is her words verbatim.
She said, "Please do your part and give us a fighting chance.
Stay home, wash your hands, don't come to the ER unless it's an absolute emergency.
Help us help you, and if you have a friend or family member in medicine right now, send
them a message to tell them you're thinking of them.
It really helps when you've tested your third COVID-19 of the night."
So back to me, this is not her quote anymore.
I personally believe that this is a time for our humanity, our creativity, our connection,
and yes, for us to retain our sense of humor.
So look, we've got folks in our community from everywhere, folks that listen to this
podcast, that watch Marie TV, that read our email, that follow me on Instagram, people
from 195 countries and territories.
We have folks from every different walk of life, and I know for so many of you, life
was really freaking hard before this pandemic, and my heart honestly is breaking imagining
some of the stress and the fear and anxiety that some folks are feeling right now.
I've gotten notes and emails from single moms losing their jobs, asking me for help.
I've gotten notes from folks who are battling illness, whether that's physical illness or
mental or emotional illness, and understandably a lot of folks are feeling alone and afraid
and I just want to say from my heart to yours, I see you, I am here for you, Team Forleo's
here for you.
Now the second thing that I want to share with you today is that my team and I just
put up a huge resource guide to support you and it's over at marieforleo.com/blog, or
you can just Google Marie Forleo coronavirus support.
This blog posts, y'all, is awesome.
So here's a couple of things that we cover in it.
We talk about how to manage your stress, fear and anxiety, which is so crucial right now
because you need to take care of your immune system.
I've got some funny, inspiring and feel good moments.
I've been paying attention to so many creative things happening on the internet, and I honestly
believe some of it is just, first of all, it's so creative and so hilarious.
You've got to see it.
We talk about how to work from home and actually get things done.
So you probably know this, but in case you don't, I've been running my company virtually
for 20 years, so we have a lot of insight about how to help people really stay productive
and engaged, especially if you're not used to working from home.
We've got a whole section on how to stay active without going to the gym.
We've a whole big section on how to educate and entertain your kids, especially when they're
all in your house and you did not expect them to be there.
We have so many parents on Team Forleo, and I've got to say, some of the things that they're
sharing in the Slack channels are just hilarious and also super helpful, so we've included
that.
We have how to stay emotionally connected while social distancing.
This is important.
Just because you might be in isolation doesn't mean you need to be lonely.
Again, this is another thing that I feel like I'm kind of wonderfully suited at this time
to help support people, because frankly, I spend a lot of time indoors, and so many people
that I know and love, some of my closest friends and my family, we don't live geographically
near each other, so I'm constantly staying connected to them using technology.
So we put some of those tips in there as well.
Then for my US citizens, we have some updates on unemployment and mortgage services, and
finally, this is the big one, we talk about four ways to serve your community.
So this is not going to be relevant for everyone listening to this podcast right now.
If you're someone who's having a really hard time, there's going to be resources in here
for you, and if you're someone who's listening to this podcast and you have extra, meaning
you have some extra resources, some time, some money, some energy, some creativity,
and you want it put it to good use, we've got some ways for you to do that over on the
blog.
So please go have a look at this resource, share it with your community if you find it
valuable, and then if you've got other ideas for things to add to the list, let me know
in the comments.
Again, you can find our coronavirus support guide by Googling Marie Forleo coronavirus
support.
Okay, we're doing good here.
Now the third thing I want to share with you today is due to all this, we're actually going
to be podcasting a lot more in the coming weeks, and I'm so excited to experiment with
some podcasting ideas that I've had for quite some time, and honestly, now's the time to
do it.
So if you're not already subscribed to our podcast, do it now so you can come along for
the journey, because it is going to be fun.
Fourth thing I want to share with you today.
I am going to be going live on Instagram a lot more.
Again, I feel like I'm in this unique position to support people in staying really clear
minded, in staying focused on what they can do, not what they can't, in staying creative,
especially around your careers and your businesses, and staying healthy and strong, mentally,
emotionally and physically.
So if you don't already follow me on Instagram, come join me, because we have a freaking good
time.
I'm @MarieForleo, and make sure you turn on notifications.
I think one of the most annoying things for me is when I go live and I get that message
from Instagram, don't you hate this, when it's like, "We're going to notify some of
your followers," and it's like, "Are you kidding me?
Why are you notifying some of my followers, not all of my followers?", because these people
obviously raised their hand because they want to hear what I have to say.
So if you turn on notifications, you will hopefully get the little update that I'm going
live, and I don't have a schedule at this moment when I'm going to go live.
It's going to be pretty impromptu based on navigating all of these new changes with my
team and taking care of B-Schoolers and all that good stuff, but I will try and be as
present there as I possibly can.
Fifth and finally, I just want to remind you, most important thing you can do right now
is honestly, please take care of yourself.
I want you to stay strong and healthy, mentally, emotionally and physically.
As we all know, and again, this is a reminder, but it's based in science, stress lowers the
immune response, which is the exact opposite of what we need right now.
Here's what I believe, tough times make for strong people, and I promise you, I promise
you we will make it through this if we're smart and if we just pull together.
You know, I've been doing a lot of lives with my B-School students, and one of the things
I said to them earlier this week, even before the shiitake really hit the fan, is I told
them about a little game that I play with myself around self identity.
Now, if you don't know about this, you should know.
Your self identity or how you see yourself is one of the most powerful and potent forces
that shapes your behavior in life.
So I told my B-Schoolers this, and it was really fun and I saw one woman at least who
saw that particular live that I did go and post about it on Instagram.
Basically, this is what I told them.
I said, look, for any of y'all who are feeling overwhelmed right now, this is what you have
to start saying.
Adopt this mantra.
Just say, "I don't do overwhelm.
I don't do stress."
So think about it this way.
Let's say you had a bunch of friends, and you love your friends, and they came over
and they're like, "Hey look, we ain't got any toilet paper.
Let's go rob our neighbor down the street, the old grandma over there.
I'm sure she's got stores of it."
You'd be like, "What the frick are you talking about?
I don't rob people.
I don't steal from people.
That's not what I do.
That's not who I am.
That's not how I behave."
So I want to invite you to just consider adopting this new identity right now that says this,
"I don't do overwhelm.
I don't do stress."
Yes, in a momentary instance, maybe there will be a lot coming your way and you might
feel overwhelmed for a minute, 30 seconds, maybe five minutes, but tell yourself this,
"I don't do overwhelm.
I will not exist in that emotional or mental state.
It is not a place I will allow myself to indulge in."
Period.
End of story.
Same thing with stress.
"I'm not going to do stress.
I'm just not going to do it.
I'm going to opt out of both of those emotional states."
Why?
They're not useful.
All they do is create havoc.
They lower your immune response, they make you crazy, and they don't necessarily help
you get anything purposeful done.
So again, I invite you to adopt those mantras.
"I don't do overwhelm," and, "I don't do stress," and see how that works for you, because it
works really, really well for me.
With that, I will say this was really fun.
I'm actually excited to talk more with you in this format, because I think it's going
to be a good time, and no matter what, again, please just take care yourself.
I want you to err on the side of safety.
If you possibly can, again, if you are not a member of the medical community, if you
are not stocking groceries or doing any of the essential core essential things that we
need in society right now, please stay the frick home.
I'm not kidding, I'm literally the stay at home and hunker down police in my team and
with my family and my friends, because I love them and I love you.
So make sure you come say hi to me over on the 'Gram, because that's where I spend the
most time on the social medias, or you can come leave a comment at marieforleo.com.
Let me know if there's any questions or topics you want me to talk about in these upcoming
weeks on the podcast, and again, I think we're going to have a good time with this.
A good time with this meaning amid the zombie apocalypse coronavirus, we're going to have
a good time on the podcast, so don't come from me with like, "Oh, this is going to be
a good time, Marie!"
That's not what I'm saying.
Context, people.
But above all, I will leave you the way I always leave you on my show, which is with
this.
Stay on your game and keep going for your dreams.
Yes, even during this time, because the world really does need that very special gift that
only you have.
Thank you so much for listening, and I'll catch you next time on the Marie Forleo podcast.