Keep SHINE’ing

There’s no denying that we are going through tough times that are likely to become more challenging before the light begins to shine again at the end of the tunnel. The important thing to remember and focus on right now is that it’s the way we re-act and how we choose to handle that will set the tone in our personal and business journeys ahead.

I work in travel and events, two of the most hard hit industries at the moment, but I am very conscious that others have become more hard hit than me in the last few days, as many find themselves without work and no idea of what the future holds.

Things feel quite surreal at the moment. People are scared and fearful of these uncertain times. Many are shutting themselves away, others are opting for the ‘She’ll be right, mate’ Aussie mentality, not taking any real notice or adhering to the social distancing parameters and trusting that it will all be OK. I sit somewhere in the middle right now, I struggle to embrace any doom and gloom at the worst of times, but I do realise how serious this all is. I am determined to #STAYHOME but also want to be there for others if I can be.

We’re all seeing the headlines, watching the news and addicted to our social media (even more than usual), and in all honesty there is no point burying our heads in the sand, this situation is real and not going away anytime soon. There’s so much ‘noise’ out there right now and there’s more than enough people trying to ‘coach’ you through but I do want to say:

• Be pro-active and not reactive if you can. I’ve always prided myself on that my business always has always been at the forefront, willing to try something new, and this has served me well.
• Support local if possible and you have the means. Think about your local community or online communities and how you can best serve or help them, as you would hope they return the favour to you.
• Be kind, think of others. I’ve been overwhelmed by support from friends, family and clients over the past couple of weeks and I am truly grateful, as in all honesty it has been a totally crappy time. The supportive, compassionate and empathetic messages have warmed my heart and kept me uplifted, more than any of you probably realise. Reach out to people, let them know you are there.
• Look after yourself. This one’s the most important! If we allow ourselves to be consumed by fear, panic and worry we risk becoming unwell ourselves or not in our best frame of mind to tackle the challenges that are being thrown at us. And they are right now, every single day. Take time to breathe, exercise, meditate, hydrate and eat well, even if you don’t feel like it. You need to be at the optimum you can be to give your best to others.

These are challenging times but we shall get through! The world is likely to never be the exact same again and it may not feel like it right now but this is OK, it’s the natural way of the universe and the tough times will pass. Try to choose optimism over pessimism, keep faith and look for hope and silver linings.

Most importantly, know that there are people who care and who will support you through this. Please reach out to me if you need a chat, we all need to look out for each other right now!

Keep SHINE’ing
Zoe
xxx