The world, as we know it, has been turned upside down and sideways with the global pandemic dealing with Coronavirus or COVID-19. Schools have shut down, businesses have gone to remote work-from-home scenarios, and our economy like dining, shopping, and entertainment has taken a hit.
Lives have been disrupted on all fronts. There is hardly any normal any longer. We are all sailing in new waters, never charted before. One thing I always ask myself in new situations, thanks to Gail Hyatt, is “What does this make possible?” In this post you’ll learn what I have accomplished during this time of pandemic and “new normal”
To be sure, there is a new normal already at play. Since March of 2020, whole countries have mandated that their citizens stay home to “flatten the curve”. This has led us to a new way of life and new possibilities.
One person on social media asked the question, “What will you come out of this pandemic with?” The heart of the question I think was what new thing will you learn, what skill will you acquire, what new thing will you have on the other side of the pandemic.
A Life Plan
During this pandemic life I think the most powerful thing I have come out with is a new plan for my life. Inspired by the book Living Forward I have a living document to guide me in my next years of life. This is tremendous because I have drifted for years without any kind of compass to guide my decisions, my actions, or my intentions.
I went away to my family’s farm for a couple days to unplug, refresh, and reflect on what mattered most. I wrote down how I want to be remembered, my legacy, and wrote down the most important accounts that my life would have and my intended vision and result.
I’m still working on it, but the most important thing I have come out of the pandemic with is my life plan.
New Skills
While some individuals’ lives have been uprooted with lay off, furlough, or downsizing, I have enjoyed largely the same work schedule and livelihood. My time hasn’t just opened up like others might have. But, I always want to keep growing and keep investing in my professional skills and adding to my knowledge.
I’m inspired by this blogpost written by Matthew Royse entitled, Fifteen of the Best Digital Marketing Certifications You Should Attain by 2020. Like a task list on my Asana, I’m going to work through every single one I can as I am able.
Right now, it’s Google Ads Search Certification. Next, I’ll probably tackle the Hubspot Content Marketing Course.
Although I realize that these certifications might not have much weight in the marketplace, I think that they still hold some value. I mean, if you want to learn about google ads, why not go to the source and learn what they teach?
Books Read
I’m enjoying this time of focused activity by reading good books. I’ve read Known by Mark Schaefer, What Color is Your Parachute?, and others during this time. Some I have reread and others are new books I’ve read.
Podcasts Discovered
I love my podcasts. I probably have two dozen in my podcasts app and I can’t keep up with everything I subscribe to. However, I have really enjoyed At the Table with Patrick Lencioni because it helps me understand business from a culture standpoint and what I want to strive for in my own business and with those I work with and for.
Lencioni discusses things like business culture, hiring, and teams. I’ve heard of Lencioni from such people as Dave Ramsey, so I feel like I can trust him and his team for solid wisdom.
Conclusion
While this pandemic and Covid-19 has been at tough year in 2020, I’ve asked myself what this makes possible. I’ve been taking that advice to heart and have completed my life plan, working on various courses and certifications, and even found a new podcast to listen and learn from.
So what have you been able to accomplish during the pandemic? Let me know in the comments below.
