It has been said many times recently that these are extraordinary times we are living through. Much has changed over the past eight weeks and the last two columns I have written. Who really knew what lay ahead of us as I wrote my March column? What is evident to so many of us is the plethora of emotions we will all have experienced. For some there will have been fear and apprehension at the outset, possibly still continuing to this day, while for others there will have been concern for loved ones. Yet more will possibly have been angry and asked and the quite understandable question, ‘why me?’ All of these emotions are normal and to be expected. However, that doesn’t make them any easier to deal with.
Often it can seem a lonely world in the sphere of optics. I used to joke about how optometrists spend their lives in little dark rooms constantly working one to one with individuals and often not really sharing their experiences with others due to their responsibilities for patient confidentiality. This is probably more so for the sole practitioner running their own single-handed practice. Therefore, when a situation as currently exists arises the world can seem a very lonely place to be. We are however, very fortunate in the world of optometry that within our sphere live some very inspirational people who, when the going gets tough, step up and really shine. One such person who has done just that is Imran Hakim. Many of you will know him as the force behind the Hakim Group. Recently, as an organisation this group has grown exponentially and now is a leading force within UK optics. Imran himself is a highly inspirational person who possesses the ability to look to the future and, even in times of adversity, still show remarkable foresight and leadership to those within his organisation. However, what seems to stand him apart is his genuine and uniquely personal concern for the wellbeing of all those who work within his group. I don’t just mean the optometrists, but everyone. From the senior executives in the head office right through to the staff on the front line in each of the practices. This has been demonstrated to great effect by the way that Imran set about arranging a series of webinars designed to aid people in seeing a way through these uncertain times. But, true to form, he did not just keep this series of webinars within the Hakim Group but has opened them up to the wider family of optics as a whole – a truly grand gesture.
These webinars are not just any old person speaking to us but draw upon some of the most inspirational speakers Imran knows and it has been my privilege to listen to. What I have learned to date from these webinars has had a profound impact on the way I have worked through the current situation. To demonstrate this, I would like to reflect on one very small but highly significant thing I have taken from the webinars to date. The phrase that sticks with me and forms a central part of my rationale every day now is, ‘control the controllable.’
It is very easy to get depressed, or angry, or feel anxious or frustrated at this time, but just how many of those emotions can we control? In the early stages of the pandemic I found myself watching the television most of the day to see the latest updates and found myself becoming more and more anxious and depressed by events. But then I realised that I could not control these events and needed to concentrate on what I could control. That is when the realisation dawned on me that I could very easily waste a lot of time and energy spiralling downwards because of things I could not control. One example within all of this was the announcement by the DoH of yet another freeze on our NHS sight testing fees for another year. While I find this highly cynical and in past years would have ranted about their disgraceful approach to our profession, I have realised that this decision is something I cannot control and hence is pointless getting angry about. Rather, I choose to control what I can control and look forward to creating new positive modalities of working in my life. Creating future challenges that are positive rather than being dragged down by negative influences that I cannot control. When I found myself thinking this way my mood lifted massively and positivity took over my thinking.
Nobody would suggest these times are easy but there are approaches that can help us all to get through. I would like to thank Imran for his forward thinking and positive outlook and encourage each and every one of you to reposition your minds and thinking at this time.
So in conclusion, to Imran Hakim, thank you for arranging the superb webinars and to everyone, control the controllable, be positive and stay safe in the months ahead.