I don’t know about you, but I’m doing the best to cope – putting on a brave face for everyone, including me! Full disclosure: feeling a little sorry for myself. About two weeks before the pandemic forced us all indoors and away from the rest of humanity, my company decided that the 1.5+ years of hard work, sweat, drama and sheer tenacity I gave to a business unit was no longer of value to them. The closer I get to the final day of employment, the more sad I feel, bordering on self-pity and despair. This is NOT productive and is likely driving away what I need to be in a good place. So I have taken some action and will share it with you here. Whether you like it or not. (Isn’t that what blogging during a pandemic is all about???)
To help me get through this, I’m listening to Mike Dooley’s “How to Discover What You Really Want” to give me perspective and direction. I started with what I consider to be success:
In my wildest dreams, I am helping people navigate the world. I am helping them make more of the resources that they have. I am helping them understand what activities will make them more successful. I am helping them give themselves permission to be curious and courageous. I am helping them look at their data in a way that shows them the path forward. I am helping them envision how they want their end results to be and reverse engineering that vision. Am I micromanaging this thought process? Maybe.
I digress – Mike has recommendations. Here are the steps, abridged:
Step 1: Priorities for change big-picture, general end results – happiness – they should be BROAD, like:
1. never need money again
2. fulfilling work
3. travel the world with friends
Step 2: Vision board of a life of wealth and abundance, fulfilling work and traveling the world with friends: what does that look like? To create how this FEELS and emotional expectation and anticipation. Baby steps! (don’t attach to them, though)
Step 3: Take action. Show up. Move towards your end results. It matters that you do something but it doesn’t have to be the right thing! Declare your happiness! Use your words! Rock your joy! Celebrate!
DON’T: put deadlines on your end results, worry about the how or the who.
Great stuff.
How are you managing during the social distancing era?