How I managed change in my life and my business

2020 has been all about change. Who would have thought when the bells chimed midnight at the end of 2019 that we would be entering such a year? So many changes for your life and your business and right now it is likely you feel a little shell shocked.

Before I write this, I consider myself very privileged during my COVID-19 journey. I have a house, a garden, family that live close by, I am able to use technology to keep in touch (most of my work is online), a Peloton bike to do my workouts and my husband (my best friend) with me all the way.

Despite feeling privileged, my world has changed so much since March 2020. I had just come back from my hen weekend, ready to get back to work. I came back to a Pandemic and imminent lock down. I had a bricks and mortar clinic that suddenly I needed to close and my world started to change. I closed the clinic and carried on supporting my HBClub members through their lock down journey. After a few weeks I decided that this was the time to do something I had planned for 2023. I was going to shut down my clinic and retire from being an Osteopath to concentrate on my online business. Closing a business is not an easy thing to do but I put my head down, talked to my team, and paid the necessary redundancies.  

More change came sooner than I thought when I launched another new company which was an idea I had had for some time. The Stationery Box Company was born within a few weeks of my closing the clinic.

My wedding was planned for 9 May 2020, soon it was clear this was not going to happen. We rearranged to other dates, but as time went on they too got cancelled. We took the decision that we wanted to get married, so as soon as the doors opened to Registry Office we took just 5 other people with us and got married from behind a plastic screen. No celebrations. A lovely day but not what we had planned after 15 years of being together.

After 6 months of duel working from home with my now husband and the adjustments that takes, we then got another change which was a surprise and one we feel fortunate for. My now husband Eddie was given early retirement with a package that we were happy to receive. How many people are fortunate enough to retire before they are 60? 

Today is the first day of said retirement and it feels surreal. How will this work for us both? I am still working, albeit online so I can travel, but will it change our home dynamics? Will I feel pulled to be off work too? I don’t want to stop working! So many questions after yet another change. 

The last 6 months have sped past in my world and likely yours too. But what can we do to make sure we handle change and don’t let it throw us off our business focus?

First take stock of all the things you are grateful for. Really dig deep and make a list of all the things you have, rather than focusing on what you don’t. Reach out to others for support and to support them too. The power of groups is still real, you can connect virtually if you can’t in person.

Embrace change and run with it. What new things can you create from the world we are in now?  Can you do more things online? What could you help your clients with that works online? Understand that as humans we are made to adapt to change. We may not like it at the time but our minds are strong enough, if you let it be, to regroup, rethink and go again. Stay strong as we move forward.

Change is new and different and may right now feel like you are taking backward steps in your business, but you will look back and reflect on how you managed during the Pandemic and be proud.