Times are tough. We have been on lockdown for pretty much a whole entire year! Unable to visit friends, family, travel, go to the mall, eat out – NOTHING. Even when we had a tiny taste of freedom and stores increased their safety and sanitization protocols, it still wasn’t enough. Not only did COVID persist, it mutated – now we have variants out there and it has created a whole other problem.
I know what you may be thinking - There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Things are way out of my control. I can’t do anything at all. I feel stuck. I feel alone. My dreams are dying. My goals are being affected. I feel lost. Scared. Confused..
Friend, let me tell you something. Yes, COVID absolutely sucks. It’s terrible, uncontrollable and affecting each and every one of our lives.
But have you seen the other side of this pandemic?
COVID may be persistent but the people are RESILIENT.
There are still people coming out on top. There are still people reaching their fitness goals. There are still people reaching their financial goals. There are families coming together. There are relationships and marriages being fixed. There are business being started. There are new communities being built. There are new friendships and partnerships being formed. Babies are being born. Faith is being restored. There are people coming up with innovative ways to still connect, serve, pivot, and grow!
It’s OK to acknowledge that this is a difficult time and to be upset about it occasionally. But don’t dwell here. There are still connections to be made. There are still people to meet. There are still ways to grow and earn. There are still goals to be reached. There are SO many opportunities to learn new skills, better yourself, educate yourself, get your health on track. Heck, you could even come out of the pandemic looking better than before, feeling better than before, banking more than before and with a stronger social network than before.
Do you believe me?
It’s happening to me right now.
In the past 5 months alone, I have connected with more people that align with my purpose and my future. I have learned to set better financial goals. I have learned to set better boundaries. I have grown more spiritually and emotionally. I’ve educated myself on things that align with my vision and purpose. I’ve gained and given mentorship. My business has grown more than 40% - and I’m not talking about income. My social media has grown. My family has become stronger. My physical health has gotten better, and I’ve allowed myself time to pursue my passions and figure out exactly what I want out of life. Yes, it definitely sucked a lot of times, but I did not dwell in those moments for long. I chose to actually do something about the things I wanted to change. The Fanny that entered the pandemic is not going to be the same Fanny that walks out of the pandemic.
These are the things that have helped me push through day after day and will continue to carry me until this thing is over:
1- Set a goal – you need something to look forward to and wake up for each day. Do you want to lose weight? Build strength? Grow your business? Grow your reach? Meet new people? Grow your bank account? Work on your mental health? Work on your relationship? Make a list of your top 3 goals and write them down.
2- Set a schedule – we are not sleeping in until noon guys! Not even 10am. We need to practice discipline. Wake up early (5,6 or 7am). We can’t sleep on our goals- the longer we sleep, the further away our goals get. We need to practice daily habits that will get us into a positive mindset, even if we feel like we have nothing to do. Read an inspiring book, clean, eat well, cook, exercise, organize your home, research, find people that inspire you and align with your vision and purpose. LIMIT THE MINDLESS SCROLLING!
3- Make a plan – Your goal needs to have an expiry date so you can move on to something bigger and better. Start with smaller goals then grow as you progress. Do you want to reach X amount of people on your page? How are you going to do it and when are you going to do it by? Do you want to lose X amount of pounds? How and by when? Do you want to save X amount of dollars? How any by when? Do you want to start your online business? How and by when? Do you want to work on your relationship? What does that look like and how can you set tangible markers? Are you looking for a therapist? How and by when? If you don’t know the answer to these questions, I highly suggest you find someone who is successful in your field and inspires you, then research as much about them as you can to find out what you need to do to get to where they are.
4- Be consistent – please don’t give up in a week. Don’t give up when it gets hard. Quit quitting. If you really want to see change, then you have to do what it takes. I wish there was an easier way but there is no way around it. We need to be dedicated and consistent in order to see positive changes. It is absolutely possible and comes down to choice – waking up every day and choosing to make the right decisions. Continue to find people and things that inspire you and motivate you to keep going. If you fall off one day, that is not a reason to throw the whole plan out of the window. Tomorrow is a new day.
5- Expand your network – listen. I don't mean to come off as harsh, but here it goes. For some of you, this pandemic was a blessing in disguise. Maybe you had people around you that were no longer serving your vision and purpose, but you just didn’t know how to let them go. This quarantine/lock-down came at just the right time. Use this time to reach out to the RIGHT people - people that actually align with what you are doing. People that inspire you and will have meaningful conversations with you, instead of old recycled conversations. It may seem harsh but I know that this is resonating with someone out there! You don’t have to wait for people to reach out to you. 9 times out of 10, if you reach out to someone who inspires you, or that you have been watching silently, and you really like their energy and what they are all about, 9 times out of 10 they will respond. Forget the celebrities, I am talking local people that are making a difference in your community, that you connect with and relate to, that are actually doing something for themselves. Our community is small - I encourage you to reach out to a few new people and see what happens. If one ignores you, that’s fine. Others won’t. It is worth it to try to surround yourself with people that will take you into your next season of life instead of you holding you back.
There are so many gems in this pandemic. Honestly. Sometimes we just need a new pair of glasses to see things differently. I used to hate Zoom, but Zoom has allowed me to connect with people all over the world during this pandemic. Staying inside has allowed me to bond more with my family. There is so much positivity around you if you just open your eyes and choose to see things differently.
I hope that you find some positivity inside of this pandemic <3
