When a crisis becomes a catalyst for change

Sometimes it takes a pandemic to give you a much-needed kick up the butt.

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The start of 2020 has been unsettling to say the least. The Coronavirus pandemic has had devastating effects on people’s health, lifestyle and livelihoods. It’s made us realise just how much we take for granted. We’ve witnessed our communities grapple with isolation, empty supermarket shelves and loss of income as unprecedented circumstances rob us of the familiar and create a ‘new normal’. We’ve seen the best and worst of humanity.

While I would never want to downplay the severity of what some have experienced, the crisis has brought with it some real opportunities for growth. We’ve been forced to take a step back, breathe, and reassess what we truly want out of this fragile thing called life. We’ve taken a closer look at the everyday freedoms we take for granted. Instead of resisting, we have the chance to embrace change and revolutionise our lives by looking at what is really important and how are we living. It’s time for a lot of us to hit the reset button and write some new rules.

Here are just some of the things I’ve learned from living through the Coronavirus pandemic.

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You can’t always choose your circumstances, but you can choose your reaction.

Sometimes the best laid plans turn to shit. Before the pandemic hit, you might have given up your corporate job to launch your own business. And that business might have been crushed in an instant. It sucks! You can’t change that but you can choose how you react to it. Are you allowed to grieve? Of course you are, you just can’t stay there. You gotta grow through it. You can’t stay living in the suffering and allow your grief to cloud your judgement and inhibit your future success.

Years ago my husband and I lost $200,000 to fraud. My mother nearly lost her house and the whole situation almost broke us, and not just financially. We hit rock bottom and had to make a choice – do we allow our shitty circumstances to overwhelm, destroy and define us? Or do we get out of bed, get dressed and have another crack? We chose the latter and life got better, so much better. We chose our reaction and we empowered ourselves to create a better life for our family. Your success is not defined by the crap you have to endure, it’s defined by your reaction to it, and what you learn from it. You cannot beat someone who won’t give up.

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It’s wise to have a Plan B.

If the Coronavirus has taught us anything, it’s that job security is a myth for most people. You could be flying high as an executive one day and worrying about how to pay your mortgage the next. No one needs that kind of stress in their lives.

I’ve always been a massive advocate for having more than one source of income because when your corporate job goes belly up, that secondary income is what will keep you afloat. If you’re an expert in a particular field, launching an online course can provide you with an ongoing residual income. You might also consider running a home-based business alongside your corporate job or business, like I did. The stigma around network marketing really needs to rack off because there are so many reputable companies out there that provide incredible opportunities for people who have the motivation to succeed and willingness to work and delay gratification.

Having a Plan B will give you financial security while expanding your skills. And when job security crumbles, your skills are your strength. It also provides a great pathway from employee to entrepreneur. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of ‘Spammy Sues’ and muppets that do network marketing poorly and make the entire industry look bad. If you’re looking for the simplest, low risk pathway, the key is finding a good mentor and product line that you love which will usually replace products you already buy. It is the apprenticeship of life. The skills you will learn will create opportunities and serve you in any career you pursue.

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Standing still can bring the ultimate clarity.

When you’re on the go all the time, you don’t have the time and space to assess if where you are is where you want to be. You might spend 10 years working your way into a position of leadership only to get there and realise that something doesn’t feel right. The Coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us go-getters to stop, breathe and take an objective look at our lives and ourselves. And that can be incredibly transformative.

I sometimes take for granted that I am with my kids all the time – my work allows us to travel the world as a family and there is always a new adventure on the horizon. But as the pandemic has progressed, I’ve spoken to a lot of working mothers who’ve gone from working 50-hour weeks to being at home with their kids 24/7. While the experience has been challenging at times, it has fostered a new sense of family connection and bonding. Some parents have realised that they want to step off the hamster wheel and spend more time with their kids. Their former version of success (hard work and no play) just doesn’t appeal anymore.

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There is fulfillment in simplicity and choice.

When you’re successful in your career, it can be easy to get caught up in the material stuff that comes along with it – lavish holidays, expensive restaurants, fancy cars, designer clothes and exclusive events. Coronavirus has stripped all that away and simplified our reality. Holidays spent at theme parks have become board games at home with the kids. Shopping expeditions have become bike rides around the local neighbourhood. Botox, blow waves, lashes and designer outfits have given way to bare faces, frizzy locks and track pants. And you know what? It’s kinda refreshing.

At the end of the day, all that stuff is just that, stuff. The things that matter are the connections we make with others and the legacy we will leave behind. During this pandemic I haven’t heard one person say, “Gee, I really miss going shopping for handbags.” but I’ve heard a lot of people say, “I miss hugging my Mum.”

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This crisis has come bounding out the gates and tried to break us. And to that we say, “Hell, no!” It’s also held up a mirror, encouraging us to see our lives and our purpose more clearly. How do you want your post-COVID life to look? What do you want your legacy to be? Nothing changes if nothing changes.

If you need help finding the answers, I’m here. As an accredited coach with an infectious zest for life, I will help you find clarity around what’s missing and what you want your life to look like. Life as we know it, will never be the same. Let’s make that a good thing.