The Necessity To Adapt In Order To Grow

I hope this finds you all safe and well?

Last month I spoke of the paradigms we are currently facing whilst living through this unprecedented global pandemic.  In Australia, we are very fortunate that the COVID-19 infection rates have reduced significantly.  The tough and necessary restrictions are slowly lifting.  As individuals and as a community we are cautiously venturing out again and resuming some of the rituals we used to take for granted, like meeting up with family and friends, shopping, exercising in the park, getting our hair cut, enjoying a meal in a cafe and returning to school and work.  But in many other parts of the world we know that lockdown, restrictions, and neighbourhoods gripped with the disease, fear and anxiety, is still a reality - a reality that may continue for weeks, months, and in some cases, years, yet.

One thing is for certain, the mobility we once enjoyed will be a thing of the past for some time to come.  Air travel will be heavily curtailed, state and country borders will remain shut for some time, and interstate and international travel may still be a long way off.

So, in accepting this reality, there now exists a challenge for those of us that will be directly impacted by this new norm.  For many of us, the inability to come face to face with our colleagues, clients, partners and stakeholders in neighbouring states and across the world will change, almost everything.  The way we connect, work, produce and create will be profoundly challenged.

But life cannot and must not come to a standstill.  We must continue to live, serve, create, lead and improve.  We must not stop planning, developing, growing and dreaming.

So we have a choice to make.  Do we stall and remain at a standstill, allowing fear, shock and uncertainty to paralyse us?  Do we throw in the towel on aspects of our life and accept that now is the time for backwards steps?  Or do we re-frame our perspectives?  Do we see this present state as a test?  Do we see this as our own personal and collective challenge?  The test to come out of these difficult times and see the opportunities we have been given to reflect, re-set and re-invent our world and the way we move through it?

As leaders, creators, custodians and role models, isn't it up to us to act?  The time for grief, anger, denial and shock has passed.  We must now pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and create our new paradigm.  One where we are willing to be braver than we were before.  One where we will try to innovate, adapt, take risks, do things differently, shake things up a bit (for ourselves and those around us), all the while resolving to go forward, always forward.  Making mistakes, learning, laughing at ourselves, surprising ourselves, connecting more deeply, identifying the common goal, and realising our dreams.

In short, it’s about choice and being your own change.  It’s always been about this.  It’s just that now more than ever our future success may literally depend on us embracing and acting on this.

I had to make this choice, myself: the choice to first serve my family, and then be of service to others.  When I made this choice I realised everything was going to be alright.  I had to adapt, take risks, make mistakes and find new ways of serving, contributing, leading and mobilising others to be their best.  At times it was challenging, frustrating, confusing and overwhelming, but giving up was not an option.  What was I teaching my kids if I threw in the towel and decided to sit this pandemic out?  What example was I setting them if I decided to wait until everything ‘returned to normal’ and did nothing but stall my life in the meantime?

So I worked hard, I asked for help, I tried new things, I made a lot of mistakes,  I did the uncomfortable - and gradually I grew, developed, acquired new skills and in so doing was able to reach, connect with and serve in ways I never thought possible.  And all the while achieving this whilst caring for and homeschooling my triplet sons, supporting my emergency doctor husband, helping to care for my ill father, navigating the challenges of working from home, nurturing a blended family separated by state borders, and battling my own doubts, exhaustion and uncertainties.

I have now partnered with a professional studio and production team and am able to bring to you and all my clients, wherever you may be in the world, all of my offerings - my keynote presentations, workshops, masterclasses and mentoring - virtually, via live-streamed events or pre-recorded delivery.

The choice I made to accept the new reality, to adapt, change and innovate has been such a steep learning curve, but the rewards continue to be great.  I am now able to expand my global reach and serve leaders and audiences that I may not have been able to previously access.

Now I am literally able to serve you, inspire you, empower you - wherever you may be.  I am only the touch of a screen away and I remain now more than ever ready and eager to equip you to make the choices you need to make - to take action and emerge from this crisis wiser, braver, bolder and willing to be the change you need to see.