I was on a Zoom networking call yesterday with a group of colleagues (because that is how we roll these days), and there was a question about how long we think this social distancing and stay-at-home routine will last until we can get back to “normal”.

A few cited projections from the news about when stores and restaurants can open again, but my response was that things will not go back to the way they were, at least not for a long, long time.

In some ways, it may seem like we have gone BACK in time:

• EVERY night now is family dinner night.
• Items that we could normally get with ease are now of limited quantity. (Toilet paper anyone?? Still trying to wrap my brain around that one…)
• DIY haircuts.
• And right now as I am writing this, my husband is outside hand-washing/waxing our cars. Who is that guy???

But in other cases, we will NEVER go back to how it was.

Even when we are giving permission to roam freely again, people are still going to be scared.

Attendance to establishments and events will most likely be very light for quite some time, despite the cabin fever they’ve been experiencing for months.

Sadly, I think people will be afraid to hug others again and will want to stick to a good ‘ole handshake if that. (I see a lot of wagging elbows in our future!)

Others will have adapted to a new way of doing things that they prefer even more to the old way, and just continue with the new routine.

It wouldn’t surprise me if some businesses found increased productivity amongst employees who are holding more meetings via teleconference versus spending time in cars driving from here to there.

My point is, waiting for things to go back to normal may be quite fruitless for your personal and professional growth. It can be dangerous for your physical, emotional, and financial health to wait for a circumstance that never comes.

After all, the human race has existed for as long as it has because we have learned how to adapt to a changing environment. The COVID-19 epidemic is no different.

There has been a lot of talk about PIVOTING in the entrepreneurial and small business world. Pivoting has become the new buzz word for good reason.

Pivoting is not necessarily about ditching the old and starting over with something new (though this could be helpful if what you are doing is completely misaligned to your purpose and gifts).

It’s more about making small tweaks in action to move, shift, and adapt in a different way so that you are still moving in the direction of your goals, values, and intentions.

While we are sequestered in our homes, we have to find new ways to stay connected to others and continue to serve our purpose in the world. Otherwise, the monkey mind tends to default to fear, doomsday projections, and a sense of helplessness. And that serves no one.

So instead of waiting, how about pivoting?

• Instead of going to the gym, how about walking around the neighborhood, or doing workouts via live internet classes?
• Instead of turning to the default take-out because you are used to being too busy to cook, look up some recipes on the internet and stretch your cooking skills. Make it meditative or a family bonding activity.
• Instead of putting your business on hold, brainstorm new ways to deliver your content or services. There may be certain elements you can’t translate to the virtual world, but there might be something NEW that you offer that can.

Imagine if you actually started feeling better than ever before because you are exercising more and eating healthier!

Imagine if your client load actually increased because you took time to refine and hone in on your zone of genius more, and created a new product or service from what you discovered!

Your existing business strategy may not be fully applicable to what is going on right now, so you may need to pivot, and make adjustments to adapt to a different way of operating at the moment.

Plus, I am ALWAYS a fan of ongoing pivots that help you align more to your purpose, gifts, and authentic way of doing business!

What is something you can do right now to stop waiting, and start pivoting?

P.S. – Want to take this time as an opportunity to step more into your zone of genius? Need to develop a new strategic plan (or tweak an existing one) to create more ease and flow while adapting your business to COVID-19 times?

I invite you to participate in the 90 Day Passion, Purpose, and Progress program. We start on April 16th, 2020. Enrollment is now open, so click here to learn more!