How to Thrive in Uncertain Times

​A global pandemic has broken out and it’s changing all our lives – maybe forever.

Not only are many getting sick and fighting for their lives, the rest of us are living in isolation while the stock market crashes and some of us aren’t sure if our jobs will still be our jobs in a week or a month.

This type of drastic, rapid change is unsettling to say the least.

Difficult times are one of life’s guarantees. For some, it will create despair and helplessness. For others, it’s a time to invest in themselves, their families, and their relationships to come out of the dark time a great deal stronger than they were when it started.
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Here are 4 tips on what you can do to thrive during uncertain times:

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1. Strengthen your skills and add new skills – You’ve got plenty of time to both assess your weaknesses and address them. What have you been neglecting while you were busy with your normal, everyday life? Maybe you were great at your job, but you were a mediocre spouse. Maybe you’ve been focused on earning money but haven’t really fostered the amazing relationship with your kids that you’ve always imagined. You’ve got an opportunity to address all of that. If you’re the same person you were when your social distancing started, then you missed an opportunity to crack open a book that would change your life or attend an online webinar that might give you a gem that changes your future. Even I’ve created free group coaching to help people start to make progress on themselves rather than sit at home worrying or letting their brain atrophy by focusing too much on cable news.
2. Focus on your health – There’s an old saying people used to use a lot when everything else has gone wrong: “at least you have your health.” If your health or your body isn’t what it should be, not only are you more at risk for this new disease, but you’re not going to be in your most powerful state of mind without feeling good. The world might be changing forever, and you are going to need to be better than you were 3 months ago to be in a stronger position 3 months from now. Eat right and make sure you’re moving plenty while you are living a more isolated life. If you have fitness goals that you’ve been neglecting, it’s likely that you have more time to dedicate to them now. You also have a more powerful reason to focus on them now that being unhealthy is even more dangerous.
3. Get better at relationships – You’re probably spending more time with your spouse and kids than ever before if everyone is working at home and school is canceled. This could cause problems since there is less space, more people, and more stuff that needs to get done. Now is the time to focus on having amazing communication and clear pictures of what your ideal relationships should look like – that includes your romantic relationship, your kids, your roommates, or anyone else that you happen to live with. Don’t be reactive and just wait for problems, design your days with one another to match how you want your life to look. This is always a good rule but is often neglected by people living under the same roof because it’s usually just a few hours a day. Design your days with the people you live and remember to always live in service to one another. Now is no time to worry about what you’re “getting” out of other people and is the perfect time to think about what you’re giving to the people around you. If you happen to live by yourself then fire up the skype machine or learn how to watch Netflix with friends across the world. Or maybe go with something more unique like taking the time to hand write letters to people you really want to feel your appreciation.
4. Never forget that “you are stronger than things are terrible” – While it’s a little cliché to simply say “believe that everything is going to be okay,” it’s demonstrably true that you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. This isn’t the first time your back has been up against the wall – and you’re still here – and it won’t be the last. You’ve had your heart broken, you’ve lost people you love, you’ve suffered severe trauma, you may have had financial ruin before, but you came back stronger and found happiness in your life again. No matter what happens to you now, you’re going to be strong enough to handle it and to thrive once again. If you feel worried, take a few minutes of your day you write down some of the greatest challenges in your life and how you handle them. Relive your proudest memories where you displayed your strength to yourself and to the world. Do it as vividly as you are capable. These moments don’t have to be some heroic story that would make an amazing blockbuster movie; they just need to be meaningful to you. 

​It is my sincere wish that you and the people you love stay safe, stay strong, and stay happy during these difficult times.