Recently, due to the security and prison crisis, the president of Ecuador has been seen in a different mood, making strong decisions, showing himself to be a leader who commands and does what is necessary to put an end to a serious problem that affects Ecuadorians. His attitude and his actions renew the confidence of many Ecuadorians. In particular, he has given me the opportunity to reflect deeply on the value of crises.
Definitively, a crisis is a difficult and decisive situation that endangers life as we know it. In the face of the crisis there are only two possibilities: letting yourself be carried away by it or assuming it decisively and managing it, surfing the wave or letting yourself be wallowed by it, a surfer would say.
A serious scenario can mark the turning point for decline, be the starting point for renewed leadership and for a change in values. It may be the opportunity that we all waited for to finally unite, to add powers and wills.
Crises like the COVID-19 pandemic brought out the best in Ecuadorians: renewed values, such as teamwork, solidarity, spirituality, generosity, family, and made health and well-being a central axis in life of many.
Faced with the crisis, there are only two possibilities: letting yourself be carried away by it or assuming it decisively and managing it, surfing the wave.
A crisis really shows people, who they are deep down, if they only use the crisis for their personal interests or if they also join in helping to solve it for their own benefit and that of everyone. A crisis brings out the best in many people, creativity flourishes in them due to the urgent need for change.
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In crises people show if they are willing to try innovative solutions and go further, where they have not gone before.
We hope that the best practices are incorporated, the highest technologies are applied and the experiences of countries that have already experienced these prison and security crises and successfully resolved them.
Crises are also a test for stress and emotional intelligence, for self-control of negative emotions, not to let yourself be depressed, nor hijacked by negative emotions, nor propagate them. To begin with, apply better habits and behaviors for the well-being and balance of one’s own life; for example, clearing the mind with rest, sports and meditation, not spreading baseless news or just for the purpose of alarming; incorporate business, family and personal safety practices.
Let’s look at the prison and security crisis with another perspective, with breadth and depth; within everything, it could be a lever to come out stronger, it could be a valuable opportunity to recognize what could have been done better, to see the general panorama, to analyze what the real capacity of the State is to manage prisons and other areas, to identify causes and solutions, to define what paradigms we must change as a society to overcome internal disorder and low growth and, fundamentally, to evolve not only in security issues, but also in life in general. (EITHER)
Alberto Rigail Cedeño: Times of crisis, times of opportunity | Columnists | Opinion