There are things you can control and things you can’t. Just in the past 24 hours, I’ve felt an entire life’s worth of emotions… sadness, fear, happiness, contentment, hopelessness, and the list goes on. The thing is, each of these emotions is valid, and each is 100% ok to feel.

Right now, it’s essential to feel what you need to—to let the waves of emotions wash over you. But, it’s also important not to let the negativity overcome you, overwhelm you, and paralyze you. Yes, allow yourself to be present, to feel what you feel, but whenever possible, look for ways to continue moving forward, to make shifts that can allow you to continue living… and perhaps in some moments even thrive.

My little family is in a somewhat unique situation. You see, as everyone adjusts to working from home, being with their children 24-7, and limiting exposure to each other and the outside world, we have somewhat been able to continue living our version of normal — in our own little bubble. You see, we had already gone through a massive adjustment in how we functioned as a family that left all of us home… almost all the time.

Right before Christmas, when everyone was gearing up and celebrating the holidays, my husband suddenly, and very unexpectedly lost his job. To say it was scary and overwhelming is an understatement. At the time, it truly felt like our life was falling apart. We worried about finances, about childcare, about what we were going to do long-term. But slowly, we adjusted. We were both home, and together, so we chose to make the most of the situation. I began working more, trying to grow and scale my business, and my husband started taking care of the kids more. In a matter of weeks, we created a new normal for how we lived our day-to-day life.

We had reached a point where we had a sort of flow and rhythm that was somewhat working for us when things began to change in the world outside our little bubble—yet again forcing us to adjust. My daughter stopped going to preschool, and honestly, my husband’s job search slowed to a trickle. On the surface, our day-to-day schedule and activities have been able to stay relatively similar to what they were three weeks ago, but on a deeper level, so much has changed… and will continue to change.

Here’s the thing, we know that even as we again feel scared and overwhelmed (in a very different way), we are can shift, adapt, and change some things to keep our family, my business, and our life moving forward.

We still allow ourselves to feel whatever we need to, and sometimes this means we need to take a break, a day, or just some time to be. But, whenever possible, we focus on what we can do vs. what we can’t.

You see, when you take the time to think of what is 100% possible and within your control right now, at this moment, you can choose to move forward with intention and purpose. You can choose to move in ways that are right for you, for those you love, for your business, and even for the greater good. That’s when you begin to see shifts, because no matter how big or small that step is, it gives you the gift of experiencing something positive, a feeling of accomplishment. And, guess what happens when you experience something positive and feel a sense of accomplishment? You become motivated to do more.

So what have we chosen to change in our little bubble?

  1. Our perspective has shifted. What seemed like the end of the world in December, when my husband lost his job, has turned into a blessing for our family. We have shifted from frustration and bitterness to gratitude and appreciation.
  2. I’m working more, but also more intentionally. We realized there is a good chance my husband will not start working any time soon and that means I need to focus on growing my business and keeping the wonderful clients I already have happy. So I am clear and focused on serving my clients in whatever capacity is required, whether it’s through coaching or more hands-on development and implementation to get their business or programs online.
  3. We are limiting social media. Yes, even me, who relies on social media and the online realm for my business, has created limitations and boundaries around its usage. It’s a fine line between staying informed and being inundated with information, and we are choosing to stay informed.
  4. We are slowing down. We have realized how important it is to be present for ourselves, our children, and each other and are doing our best to take life one day or even one thing at a time.
  5. We’ve created more structure for our kids. It was quickly evident that my daughter missed the challenge and structure that school provided her little brain. So, we created a “school time” during her brother’s nap where she works in activity books, does art projects and has a yoga class (thank you Cosmic Kids yoga). We also deemed it necessary that both kids enjoy much needed outdoor time each day!

These small changes have carried my family through our uncertain times. They have helped me continue to show up as the person I want to be for myself, my family, my business, and the greater good. They have even allowed my business to grow. Do we still get overwhelmed? Yes. Do we still feel nervous, scared, sad and the entire rollercoaster of emotions everyone else is feeling? Yes. But, we continue shifting and moving forward one step at a time.

When times are uncertain, an you begin to feel overwhelmed and stuck—it’s more important than ever to focus on things within your control. The things you know you can do to positively impact your life, your business, your loved ones, and even the greater good. I encourage you to ask yourself this: What is one thing I can do this week to move forward? And then go do it.