My husband and I recently flew for the first time since January of 2020. As we sat in the airport in Charlotte, waiting for our flight to Dallas, I spent some time observing the new normal at the airport. Most of these things aren’t any different from the new normal we all adapted to last year. But sitting and watching so many people in one place somehow made it feel different.
My recent travel made me think about the similarities of being a business owner. Here are a few of my observations.
- Things seem scary at first, but eventually become more familiar and normal. Things like masks, plexiglass shields, not seeing faces, talking louder so others can hear you, being more aware of the proximity of other people, were all pretty overwhelming when the pandemic started. Slowly, they started to become normal. It’s the same with running your business. What starts out as overwhelming becomes normal after doing it a few times.
- Appreciate what you have now because you don’t know when or how quickly things could change. Flying in January of 2020, I had no idea what was coming and therefore did not appreciate all the previous routine parts of being in a large, crowded space. As a business owner, there were many times I wished I had more business. I didn’t realize that when that happens it’s hard to find the time to get everything done.
- Don’t let fear keep you from doing things. Flying again was scary, but for us not traveling would have been worse. Being separated from family for so long was very hard. Knowing where you want to go and seeing the end result helps to overcome the fear. Seeing my grandson was worth overcoming my concerns about flying safely.
- Adjust as you go. You can adapt and be successful quicker if you adjust along the way.
- Let go of what you think of as normal. New normal may not be ideal, but it doesn’t have to stop growth.
- Things will be OK – take a deep breath.
- It’s OK to grieve what you lost – a client, employee, job, loved one. Remember, grieve, learn, and move on! Loss is real, both in a pandemic world, “normal” life and in business. But moving on is necessary. Looking forward, having hope, working, area few of the things that help us get out of bed in the morning after a loss.
Owning a business is hard, but I have learned so much and have met some of the greatest people in the process. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being able to help our clients focus more on their business by providing administrative services is very rewarding. Are you wondering if hiring a virtual assistant is right for you? We offer free consultation call and would love to talk to you about it. Give us a call – we can help!
Denise
My Virtual Assistant Pro
803-324-9844