The last few weeks have been challenging for everyone. Like it or not, it required all of us to make changes to our lives and pushed many people outside their comfort zone.
Those who make time for self-care to manage higher levels of stress and uncertainty will adapt faster and come out of this stronger. Heck, I know this is NOT easy, whether you are single and live alone like me, or you have a family to support and/or supporting you, the kind of overnight incidents and adjustments we have to make daily have taken all of us by surprise. Our freedom has taken a toll.
Sadly, 3.3 million people have already lost their jobs and are filing for unemployment. Many businesses have shut down their doors for good and many more are at risk of closing.
Personally, in addition to working with my clients, I had been working two side hustle jobs to complement my income. I was also renting two rooms in my house. Yes, I have been working my a** off and I was OK with it. I was OK with it because the extra income was giving me peace of mind on two fronts:
1) I was paying down the debt I accumulated over the five years. I had used debt as a tool for growth (business and personal).
2) I was getting help (virtual assistants) to help me get ‘stuff’ done and starting to address a few structural things that needed improvement.
Well, in a matter of 72 hours all of that was gone! I had to kiss goodbye to thousands of dollars a month. So what now? How to stay calm, positive, and focused? It’s Time To Pivot! I have a bit to share about pivoting.
When I started my business five years ago, I was inspired to bring health to anyone and everywhere. I didn’t want location to be an impediment. One of my jobs as a coach is to remove debris. My motto has always been NO EXCUSE! At Home. At Work. Got You Covered. I started to do virtual [lifestyle and health] coaching via phone and then via Zoom in 2015. In 2017, I started to offer live fitness training. I started when it wasn’t ‘cool’. In the last 2-3 weeks, about every fitness business is restructuring and consumers are starting to try it. In the long term, I believe it’s all good. The next growth must come from corporations and how they will serve their employees. I just hope they will open their doors to virtual coaching, fitness, and speaking. I am trying to stay positive and I hope you do the same.
That said, I invite you to TAKE TWO MINUTES to BE PRESENT. Look around you and write or say 5-10 things you are grateful for.
Allow me to share a few of my sentences of gratitude with you:
I’m grateful for my health. I’m grateful for my house. I’m grateful for my clients. I’m grateful for the sun, the trees, and the loud birds outside. I’m grateful for those putting their lives at risk for my safety. I’m grateful for food and water. I’m grateful for God’s protection.
Believe that you are capable of doing amazing things. Believe in your resiliency. Believe in your adaptability. Remember all the things you’ve accomplished in your life–small and big. You are where you are because of your actions. Focus on what you CAN do and do it NOW!
I invite you to say it with me…
I’m strong. I’m powerful. I’m healthy. I’m protected. I’m safe. I’m adaptable. I’m coachable. I’m beautiful inside out.
Wherever you are, whoever you are with, and however the current circumstances have negatively impacted you, please open your heart to listen to the good things happening around us too. Personal and professional shifts are happening and opening the doors to what was considered ‘impossible’ or unlikely to millions of people. Trust me when I say that we grow and change when we hit the bottom.
Food for thought for you…
>Stay present to minimize fear. Although fear is inevitable, being present allows us to take positive action NOW.
>Fear is often a consequence of projecting negative outcomes into a time and place you have no control of.
>When we focus on the future, fear LOVES to pay visits bringing along self-doubt, worries, and unhelpful and even destructive thoughts. The energy around us now matters. The environment you are in now matters.
>Living in the unknown future is less calming and peaceful than being grateful and living the now version.
You and I will get through this. We will come out physically, emotionally, and mentally healthier and stronger.
NOW…
We cannot conquer alone. We need each other.
Maybe you miss seeing your coworker, friends, and family. Maybe you miss laughing with people. Maybe you miss getting out of the house without having to think about what I am touching and who might bump into me. My side hustle jobs were also my social outlet. I miss all it offered.
I need to fill in the gap, somehow. I decided to create a safe space for us to hang out, be positive, laugh and chill together.
🎗️WILL YOU JOIN ME?
Maybe you miss peeps, companionship, laughter, stories… I DO so I decided to do something and I hope you will JOIN ME!
On Sunday, April 5th, at 10:00 am EDT, I will start hosting a weekly 🎗️Virtual Laughter & Story Telling Group🎗️ via Zoom.
This will be a space for us to have fun and inspiring memories. A place for us to laugh and chill together.
- Wearing PJs? Why not.
- Hair or teeth not brushed? Who cares?
- Cooking or eating and talking with us? Of course.
- Want to laugh and inhale some positive energy? Amen to that.
- Joining us from your fav spot in the house or backyard with a cup/glass of your fav beverage? YES, YES!
- Want to read us a paragraph from a book or quote that has inspired you, lifted you up, and/or made you smile or laugh? Bring it on!
I must give you two heads-ups: the group will NOT be a place to bring worries, fears, and judgment. What happens in the group, stays in the group.
I will send the invitation to join the group in the next few days–via email and social media.
P.S. I had originally titled this blog here “Stress Skyrocketing? Eating More?” Well, I got a little carried away with my message, can you tell? I am renaming this post but keeping the same image just because…because I can 🙂 And I will write about stress eating another time.
Wishing you love, peace, and strength!
