Friday, May 1, is National Space Day in the US, a day dedicated to extraordinary achievements in the exploration of space. To mark the day, we’re sharing isolation advice from three-time space explorer and astronaut Chris Hadfield.
Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian to walk in space — a big leap from growing up on a corn farm in Ontario. Enrolling in the air cadets, he worked his way up through the Royal Canadian Air Force, becoming an experimental test pilot and flying over 70 types of aircraft. In 1995, he rode his first rocket. He flew again in 2001, installing Canadarm2, a 17-meter robotic arm attached to the International Space Station. He served as NASA’s Chief of Robotics in Houston, and Director of Operations for NASA’s operation in Russia, before eventually going on to pilot a Russian Soyuz and become the first Canadian commander of the Space Station.
Chris is now an author, speaker, musician, educator, and star of his video series An Astronaut’s Guide — sharing all his current work on his WordPress site, chrishadfield.ca. His latest video reflects on the current COVID-19 pandemic, giving An Astronaut’s Guide to Self-Isolation. As Chris explains, he has “spent a little time in self-isolation onboard a spaceship” and managed to thrive far from his normal life, in a dangerous situation, by thinking about four key things.
One: Know the risks
Understand the actual risk. Don’t just be afraid of things. Go to a credible source and find out what is truly the risk that you’re facing right now — you, your family, your friends, the people that you care about.
Two: Choose goals
What are you trying to accomplish? What are your objectives? What’s your mission for right now? Make that clear — for this afternoon, for this week, for the next month. What do you want to get done?
Three: Constraints
Then look at your constraints. Who’s telling you what you need to do? What financial resources do you have? What are your obligations?
Four: Take action
Once you understand the risk, and your mission, your sense of purpose, and your obligations, then, take action. Start doing things. They don’t have to be the things that you used to do before. Take care of family, start a new project, learn to play guitar, study another language, read a book, write, create. It’s a chance to do something different, that you have maybe not done before. Then repeat!
. . . There has never been a better time to self-isolate. So many people have access to the internet, you have the entire written work of everything — all the body of knowledge right there at your fingertips.
So take care of yourself, take care of your family, take care of your friends, take care of your spaceship, and I wish everybody, “happy landing.”
Watch the full video at chrishadfield.ca.
“This is a chance to do something different.” Create a site today:
Thats very interestisting blog.
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👏
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Very nice
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I have the greatest respect for Chris Hadfield. This post is so clear, so precise and so uncomplicated. Excellent!
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Hey I really like what you write.
Thanks for sharing such content.
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I’ll need to revisit this during the quarantine. It definitely puts things in perspective.
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👍
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Great advice! Simple and to the point!
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Hi Chris, coming from an achiever such as yourself speaks volumes of the kind of individual that you are. This blog reminded of a SWOT analysis which is pretty similar.
Lovely pic of the Bahamas. Thanks and much appreciated for sharing!
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I really enjoyed this article I’m starting to write again while in self isolation I’m not very good but it I fun.
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Interesting
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good read
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Happy National’s Space Day everyone! Anyways, the blog is an eye opener. I agree to Mr. Hadfield that we can do something amazing. Awareness and eagerness to learn more will take you there.
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Nice!
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very nice!
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That was very insightful. Concise yet Precise!
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Excellent read with actionable tips.
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This was great 👌🏻
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Last 4 points are heart touching
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Great advice
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good write
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Interesting.
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Great
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Beautiful
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Good
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Interesting
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Interesting
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Great journy
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I’ve always had a fascination with space. I grew up getting signatures of astronauts, eating space food (ie freeze dried ice cream sandwiches), and visiting Kennedy space center. Reading an astronauts guide to self isolation was interesting and fascinating. Keep up the good work Mr. Chris hadfield!
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Very very interesting blog.
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Truly inspirational.
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Good. We interact!
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Such an interesting read, thank you!
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This is such a useful compilation in such tough times, thank you for sharing.
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I love this perspective, makes you consider how various professions are impacted.
Nicely written 😄
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Brings clarity to our problematic times. Thanks!
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I’m actually taking up gardening from scratch so I can grow my own veggies as I get better. Great post. Way to spread the advantage of this thing!
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Brilliant.
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14 day quarantine sans internet and I learned I am a very curious person who wants to google everything! Working on that action part now.
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Great post, thanks!
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This is an example of excellence, keep it up man!
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Glad you started with weighing the risks. That’s something so many people miss when chasing anything in life. Passion. Isolation or whatever it may be. Everything costs something; be aware of those costs.
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Great! Perfect.
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