“We’re all in this together.” Well, yes and no. You see, right now we are all being affected by what’s going on in this world. It does not matter who you are. Your life has been changed in some way, shape, or form. You cannot do all the things that you were once doing. You cannot go to all the places that you were once going to. The entire world is on lockdown. Now, even though we are all going through this, we are not all having the same experience. This all came out of nowhere and caught everyone off guard. Some are in a position where they were able to adequately prepare themselves and their families for a situation such as this one. Others were not quite as fortunate enough to be in that position at the moment. No matter what boat you’re in, I believe that you can learn from this and make the necessary changes to be ready for the next storm. Trust me, this isn’t the first nor will it be the last time something like this happens. Now let’s see what we can learn from each experience that can help us for the future.
There are some who are going through this lockdown right now and it is basically a glorified stay at home vacation. They have spent years working to put themselves in a better financial position. They have prepared for this storm. They have plenty saved away and have created multiple streams of income in different industries just in case one had to shut down for any particular reason. I’m not saying that they are 100 percent worry free, but this lockdown is not going to affect their lifestyle. This is where we should be striving to be. I believe to get here that we need to get our finances in order and develop multiple streams of income. That way, even in the midst of a storm you can still find peace and continue to thrive.
A lot of us have been fortunate enough to be considered essential workers and are still able to work through all of this. We still have a steady stream of income coming in and are able to take care of our families. Some companies are giving raises and bonuses during this time. Yes, this is a blessing. The other part to this means that being an essential worker, you are in contact with the general public on a daily basis. This puts you at a much higher risk to catch the virus or to bring it home to your family. Since this is your only or main source of income, you are not able to quarantine like everyone else. Because you do not have true financial freedom, you do not have the option of choosing to go to work or to stay home. You must go to work. Not having this freedom should get your mind going on how to obtain it. Those business ideas you keep putting off, now it’s time to actually do something with them. Maybe it’s time for you to take your side hustle to the next level. It’s time to get your financial house in order. The absolute worst thing you can do if you’re in this group is to become complacent. You weren’t negatively affected financially from this crisis so you may think that you’re going to always be in a good position. That may be true. Just remember, for a lot of us, all it would take would be for our industry to be affected and we would be like the people in the third category.
My heart breaks for the people who are really struggling right now. So many people have been laid off or their job has just completely shut down to no fault of their own. You may not have any income coming in right now and are wondering how you are going to make it through this. Listen, you’re going to make it through this. A lot of people have been able to find temporary jobs at places that need additional help right now. The stimulus checks have been a blessing from God funneled through our government. A lot of people have been able to get unemployment and that has helped a ton. This crisis has placed a financial burden on you that you may have not been ready for. But it has also given you greater access to your most valuable asset, time. Use it and use it wisely. You may have been so busy with work and family that you had no time to even allow your mind to think about new ideas. Now you have the time to read and to research new ideas and opportunities. You have the time to possibly even start your own business. I truly believe that the people who are experiencing the crisis at this magnitude will be the ones who will produce a new level of success over the next few years. A new drive has been created within that, if you allow it, will help you get through anything. Right now, you’re in survival mode, survive and turn this around in your favor.
When the next storm comes, we all want to experience things like the first group. And you know what, we can. If we do what we need to do, we can and will make it happen. We must take advantage of the extra time that we have been given by not being able to go out and do something with it. Do not become complacent and waste this opportunity (perspective). Learn from this. Allow it to push you to become better. The next time when this happens, it will not be considered a lockdown for you. It will be a stay at home vacation with the people you love the most.
Shawn's Blog 