The Need for Inspiration in Uncertain Times

The pandemic is upon us. And, like me, you’re probably tired of all the news and information out there yet, at the same time, can’t help but look at it all.

I’ve spent far too much time reading the news and trying to find answers. I want information that will help me make decisions in my life. But the rules of engagement are changing by the hour and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

And, I admit, I’m a bit scared. I'm not afraid of the virus itself. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m staying as far away from it as I can. But I have no problem being extra diligent about hand washing and following new social distancing rules to keep me and my family safe.

What scares me is the uncertainty of it all.

How long will this last? How big of an impact will there be? When will we get back to normal? And when we do, what will that new normal look like?

As a business owner, I worry about the economy and what this could mean for the future of my business. Will I have to give up on this dream and go back to working for someone else? 

Then I think about how the uncertainty must be affecting others. I worry about the impact on people who are losing loved ones before their time. I worry about people living on the fringes and how they'll survive the financial impacts. But I also worry that all the beautiful ideas we have for our lives are too fragile to survive and could be lost forever. And I worry that, at least for some time to come, we'll lose our capacity to dream and create.

What if my work doesn't matter anymore?

This worry led me to some tough questions. Does anyone care about creating a professional life they love if they can't even leave the house? Why would anyone put energy into pursuing their calling if the work they have now is reducing hours or at risk of disappearing altogether? What does it matter if people learn how to achieve their goals if they can't even find toilet paper in stock at the grocery store? Maybe people just want to hunker down and ride this out and not have to worry about the future. Maybe doing the work that I love isn't really helping people.

As I heard this very unpleasant voice in my head it became clear to me what was happening. After all, I've heard this same voice coming from my clients countless times. It's the voice that plants the seeds for new limiting beliefs. And this meant it was time to use some of my own coaching tools on myself and ask myself this one question.

What if these are the wrong questions to ask? 

What if everything I just said isn’t true? In fact, what if the opposite is true?

What if now more than ever people need to know how to pursue their dreams because just surviving isn’t enough?

What if helping people means showing them how to keep creating a better professional life in spite of all the chaos and uncertainty in the world?

What if thinking and dreaming big is how we find better solutions to the problems we face now?

What if my job is to help people make that happen?

It comes back to why.

This made me go back to why I started this business and my own core beliefs. Because I believe that we get to decide what happens next. While we can't control what the world throws at us, we can control how we respond. And we get to choose how we come out of this.

I believe that we are NOT at the mercy of this crisis. I believe we can both hunker down to survive AND continue to thrive. As the saying goes, we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Let's make a promise.

I promise to never give up on your dreams. I promise to never underestimate your ability to navigate this crazy world and whatever it throws your way while staying true to yourself. I promise to help you navigate through the chaos while not losing sight of the big picture. And I promise to always believe that anything is possible if we stick together.

I just realized something. I didn’t write this blog just for you, I also wrote it for me. That promise I just made to you is real, but it’s a promise I also need to make to myself.  And you need to do the same.

Whatever your fears or worries are at this moment, whatever challenges you face, whatever uncertainties are lurking out there I want you to do this one thing right now. Write down your promise to yourself. Make that promise about both surviving and thriving. Make it about how you’ll endure this time while ALSO preparing for a future that’s yours to create.

One day this crisis will be over and we'll be back to business as usual. Maybe it will look a little different than it did before, but it will be our new normal. And when that time comes I want you to be able to look back and know that you did all that you could to be ready.

Don't let this moment in time set you back. Let it bring out the fight in you. You can shine through this darkness and, when you do, it will give those around you permission to shine as well. And that is how we thrive.

So, be well, be safe, and follow the guidelines in your community to keep the spread of this virus as low as we can so we can save lives.

And, at the same time, pursue those dreams, create inspiration for you and those around you, and don't be afraid to shine.

Feeling inspired but still aren't sure exactly what to do next? I've got you covered.

I created a simple guide to show you how to work through the uncertainty and start taking action. Get your free copy here. Free Guide: Turn Uncertainty into Inspiration.