I wanna, I wanna...THRIVE

Am I the only one who finds themselves oscillating every night between "hmmm, what should I do " and "I may as well just go to bed since there's nothing to do"? I don't wanna watch TV, snack mindlessly, shop online or scroll through Instagram anymore. I wanna gather with friends and family! I wanna CASUALLY stroll through Target, downtown or the the grocery store! I wanna go to a concert! I wanna go out to eat! I wanna get my eyelash extensions back! I wanna, I wanna, I wanna!

And even as I write this I know that I will never have my old life back...that our world is forever changed and we may never again enjoy our favorite things without the smear of Covid-19. I mean when will I truly feel comfortable having someone put my eyelash extensions back on? That seems like the WORST idea when you consider how the virus spreads! Yeah, so let me lay on this table while you hover your face right over mine for an HOUR or TWO and trust that the tools you are using have been sanitized (and stay that way) before you touch my eyelids repeatedly. And we'll also assume our masks fit appropriately and are of the quality needed to contain our "droplets". Shoot, I'm not only hesitant to go out for beauty services, I'm beginning to see them as they've been labeled, "nonessential". I can't be the only person who feels this way and for that my heart goes out to all of the incredibly talented men and women working in cosmetology and esthetics.

Whether you work(ed) on the front line, you or a loved one get(got) sick, you experience(d) a job (identity) loss, suffer(ed) from food scarcity, depression, anxiety or a host of other pandemic side affects, you will be forever changed. Each and every one of us is having a different experience and response to this time. And Covid-19 does not care what we want or need. It will keep doing what it's going to do and we need to adjust to it's existence. None of us can control this virus, but we can choose how we respond to it. THAT is the real magic of this time. No matter how greatly we suffer, we also have an opportunity to grow! We can choose how this event changes us as individuals (eh, and collectively).

Every situation in life, both positive and negative, brings with it a real chance to be different. You know the tale of human spirit that we all watch on some documentary and cry about? Yeah, that's you now and you get to choose what character you play in your story. Thats right. You get to play the hero that pushes through against all odds, or you can allow life to happen to you and play the victim in your story. (Hi, former victim over here, no judgment.)

Now you may not be able to be the hero on your own or with the skills you currently have. Which is why it might be time for you to "level up". If you're a person working in a service that people may not need any longer, it's time to pivot. You have options. If you're unsure, ask for help! Watch free YouTube videos or webinars to learn new skills. Hire a mentor or coach. Earn a certification or degree to be more competitive in the job market. Change your habits. WORK ON YOURSELF. You were put here on this earth for a reason...that doesn't change because of this pandemic!

No matter who you are or what means you have, you always have options to persevere. Choosing to level up is the difference between surviving quarantine and THRIVING during quarantine. So, regardless of where you're at on your Covid-19 journey, ask yourself this: what do I need to do and who do I need to be to THRIVE during this time? Set goals and expectations for yourself based on your answer and then get to work.

Sooner or later we're all going to emerge from this quarantine. How you feel when you step out will be based on how you used this time. You may not achieve all of your goals or always live up to your standards, but the fulfillment comes from trying. Life, during pandemic and otherwise, is ALL about the process. The process is where we build courage, stamina, discipline, clarity and it's how we hone our skills (working on my writing right now ;).

The process allows us to move past simply surviving to a place of thriving. I don't know about you, but I wanna thrive.

Thanks for reading,

Kellie

MOVE.CONNECT.LEARN

There's a song for that: "Don't Stop Believing", by Journey

Free Resources:

National Alliance on Mental Health Hotline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

Maine Crisis Hotline: 1-888-568-1112

Free Business Mentoring and Education: score.org

Small Business Association: sba.gov

My Favorite Motivational and Business Digital Media:

Podcasts: "Better than Happy" with Jody Moore, "Super Soul Conversations" Oprah, "The Brendon Burchard Show", "The Ed Mylett Show"

YouTube: "Marie TV", "Kimberly Ann Jiminez", (you can search ANYTHING you want to learn

on YouTube!)