Asking for advice is the first step in finding your own pathway out of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Before being furloughed, Leading Results’ Jane Hemus examines what help is around.
Like many people during the testing times associated with a global pandemic, you may feel like burying your head in the sand in the hope that whatever personal circumstance you’re currently finding yourself in, will go away.
There is a small chance this may happen – but it is quite unlikely and the chances of it escalating and snowballing are very high.
You may have also heard the phrase recently: “We’re all in the same boat”. I beg to differ; I think we’re are all in the same sea but our boats can be very different to each other.
Whatever challenges you are currently facing in your own personal circumstances (in your own boat), having or finding the knowledge to try and help you sail in the right direction should be a priority.
- Yes, were going to face some storms
- We will be questioning our own ability
- Yes, were going to have to make some adaptions along the way
Knowing you’re going in the right direction will help in many ways.
So, what can we do?
You may not have all the answers
Realising that you may not have all the answers is the first step. There is nothing wrong in admitting you are not a superhero. We can’t know and have the ability to do everything. We can, however, recognise this and take steps to help.
Whether the support we need is to do with our finances, well-being, employment or something completely different, we have access to a lot at our fingertips to make those first steps.
Don’t tackle this alone
Choose someone to discuss this with that can also help guide, support or find out information with you.
This conversation could be uncomfortable but this certainly doesn’t mean it’s wrong to have it. When something is uncomfortable, it often means it’s stretching you out of your comfort zone.
Our comfort zone where this is concerned, can often mean we put our head in the sand. The thought of talking to someone about it fills us with dread so we put it off, sometimes worrying what they may think about us.
If we can get past this fear and have those conversations or start to consider what might be out there to help us, we start to learn new things, develop new skills and develop ways to solve the situations we face.
Once we start to put some of these new things into practice, we grow as an individual, we can see our ship is sailing in the right direction because we can clearly see our purpose and we have set ourselves goals to get there.
The choice is always ours to make but I know which zone I would rather be in. Making those first steps is the first part of this new journey.
There are many places you can turn to for help, support and advice.
Your own manager and business are a great place to start. Here are some other suggestions:
Wellbeing
Financial
www.themoneyadviceservice.org.uk
Employment
Read more: How to maintain our team’s motivation during the coronavirus pandemic.
