This is NOT MY NEW NORMAL.  I still have HOPE, POWER, and LOVE.

 
 I'm fortunate to know many successful people. They are NOT NORMAL.  They are exceptional in what they've accomplished, overcome and how they think.  I absolutely love these 'odd ducks' and consider myself a proud member of the odd duck flock.  We are NOT NORMAL.  I love being able to call them friends.  I find comfort in the company of winners who see opportunities everywhere they look.  We "strange-lings" have always looked at things differently and moved to the beat of our own confident drum. 
 So when I'm told that this pandemic infused, fear-filled, division-brewing, panic-stoking, fear-porn pushing, America destroying time in our society is the "NEW NORMAL" I want punch a grizzly bear in the face.
 
 This is NOT MY NEW NORMAL.
 
 I will not normally exist consumed by fear. Not me.  Fear is real, but it does not rule me.  I RULE over fear.  I have two lives [Christian: hit me up if you have questions] and the first life I don't want to waste being filled with fear.   Fear paralyses the body and mind even though both are healthy and fully functional!  So why would I live consuming that poison? This is NOT MY NEW NORMAL!  I will meet up with my loved ones and friends-and when I do I'll hug their necks and shake their hands!  I will defiantly love my friends and family.  I GUESS I'LL CALL IS A LOVE AND HOPE REBELLION.  I will not treat others like lepers or like they all have the cooties!  I need the people, friends, family, neighbors, and partners in my life too much to live without them.  And they need me.  I'm not watching the news, feverishly updating my phones' news feed, biting my fingernails, nervously hyperventilating over every new Covid-19 case.  NO THANKS.  That's unhealthy and it’s INSANITY.  That doesn’t control me.  I won’t let it inject my mind with anxiety and destroy my peace, or my humor, or my rebelliously pro-people way of thinking.  I'm not going to exchange my peace with their fear salesmen.  I don't want that product.  I'm sending my kids to school because the opportunity outweighs the risks.  If there's knowledge in the schools I want my child there to learn from the teacher and with their peers.  If the teacher is a great one I want my sons to learn from greatness.  That is worth it.   I don't make health risks bigger than they already are.  There's already cancer, meningitis, COPD, ALS, strep, flu, pneumonia, and all sorts of viruses that's been here the whole time and I'm not hiding from them either.  I will continue to live and my family will too. 
 
I'm not just trying to survive; I'M TRYING TO LIVE!

That is my NORMAL. A fulfilled life. 
 
 My normal is loving my neighbor, not avoiding and reporting them to the Corona-cops. Mask that!  My normal is suffering WITH THE SICK, not avoiding them like 3rd-grade cooties and as if they're unworthy of love and care.  Christianity exploded in the once world-dominant Roman Empire because Christians fearlessly CARED FOR and MET WITH the sick.  This stood out against an awful Roman culture of discarding the sick, defected, wounded and weak.  Christianity grew because its followers ran towards the danger in love and courage.  As a people, Christians were being killed, burnt as human candles by the insane Emperor Nero, and tortured in all sorts of creative ways, YET their movement grew because they didn’t approach life as fear-filled cowards, hiding from all risks.  As an American I stand on the shoulders of too many other courageous, patriotic, brilliant, confident people who built our country.  I OWE IT TO THEM to live a life that overcomes fear with courage.  Those early Christians had fear no doubt, but they overcame that fear with courage and selfless love.  They met in their homes to worship God and encourage each other to continue to stand strong in the faith.  Their "normal" was insane confidence in the outcome, brotherhood, fellowship, commitment, encouragement and a determination to LIVE a life rather than merely exist in fear.  What great examples! Fear was not their new normal and it’s not mine.  There is risk to all things in life, yet I will still live because the reward is worth the risk.  Loving someone is risky, but the reward of their love, friendship and fellowship is too great to avoid so I will continue to proceed courageously.  
 
I know that our lives have been influenced by the many crazy things that are going on right now.  But, I'd encourage you to continue courageously and don't merely exist.  Enter every day with a determined internal joy [a default setting of be sure of a positive outcome ahead].  I'd encourage you all to inject confident joy into your businesses, your associations, your families, your places of employment and your homes.  Protect your mind and try to feed it things that will build it up.  

Fear is NOT OUR NEW NORMAL
 
 I am honored to know you fellow odd ducks.  I'm encouraged that you MEMBERS decided to partner with my venture in this crazy time in America.  It's peculiar timing to most, but it makes perfect sense for the ones who were never normal in the first place.  
 
 Our "normal" is courageous, confident living. 
 
 Win!

 

Bryan