White Swan
This is no black swan
Who was once a duck,
This is no mirror
Hanging on the wall,
This is no painting,
Seen in museums.
She’s a brave, white swan
Travelling alone
Towards the unknown,
Sure to overcome
Any sudden storm.
The queen of the seas
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Events that are difficult to predict but when they happen have an enormous impact are referred to by author, Nasim Taleb as black swans, in his influential book.
These low probability and high-impact events are unavoidable and are guaranteed to occur in our personal and collective lives.
I’m using the term, black swan, loosely to refer to any unexpected, sudden and negative personal events such as unemployment, illness, death, or collective experiences such as an earthquake or covid19.
These unforeseen events have happened and will inevitably strike again. If we are unprepared, there is very little we can do to stop the emotional and physical tsunami that threatens to bring us to our knees.
But we can be prepared. By building three powerful mindsets we should work hard to develop: Faith, optimism, and adaptability, from an early age.
We must be prepared for unavoidable disasters by increasing our self-confidence and mental fortitude, cultivating a positive mindset, and creating a mental attitude of adaptability to change.
Sometimes I feel all our lives are a preparation to cope with black swans when they appear, because we know we will surely face more than one throughout our lives. As schools are more concerned with teaching facts, emotional growth is left to our personal initiative and our families.
I’m a great believer in the power of reading, reflecting, and meditation. I’m certainly feeling stronger and more prepared to face challenges since I have more time to think and meditate and read specific books on personal growth.
If you’d like to have a look at some of the books I’ve been reading follow the link below.
All pictures from pixabay and all thoughts my own, although I’m sure someone has already expressed some of them.
How do you cope with black swans?
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Pixabay is a wonderful site where many generous amateur and professional photographers offer their photos at no cost (there are also photos you have to pay for). And Thursday, which is in the exact middle of the week is an ideal day to stop and reflect, so I’m grabbing one or more pictures and reflecting on whatever comes to mind. I’m not planning on stream-of-consciousness, because although it’s an unplanned post based on a random picture, I’ll edit my thoughts and words, because you’re worth it! I want you to read a pretty and polished post:)
Rereading Jane Eyre 