I’ll admit, the moment I was told mid March 2020 to stop working in my studio, my head went into the CAN’T camp!
‘I can’t coach my clients’, ‘I can’t hold the seminars and workshops booked’, ‘I can’t train’
And gosh it was exhausting!
I hosted a fantastic pity party for a few days and then realised… I had become a victim!
I was no longer in control, yet it was still my business, my life, I was still the boss…so it was time to grab back a-hold of the reins.
I decided to swap my CAN’T for WON’T and suddenly, everything became my choice!
‘I WON’T coach my clients to respect their health and safety…however what I will do is learn to use online platforms and encourage my clients to trial’
‘I WON’T be able to host the workshops booked (as most of the companies had furloughed staff), however I WILL use the time to work on my marketing and promotion/get my books in order etc’
Interestingly, it also highlighted when I was being down-right negative:
‘I can’t train’ (in relation to the gym).
As soon as I swapped this to ‘I WON’T train’, my head said ‘HELL YES YOU WILL…’ and before I knew it I had researched home workouts and was only my 3rd push up!
By taking back the control, my passion for work was reignited, i guess it was a glimmer of 'you don't know what it's got 'till it's gone'...and i wasn't prepared to find that out!
In the creative industry, many of us rely on gigs/ bookings/ commissions to secure an income, and with this being put in jeopardy, we have to take control and reframe this as ‘our choice’.
Not only does this put the power back in our hands, encouraging us to be more resourceful and adaptable, but it also alleviates any bitterness and hostility towards the situation.
As Wayne Dyer put, ‘Loving people live in a loving world, hostile people live in a hostile world’.
If you give out hostility, you will be sure to receive right back at you!
It is only in times of struggle you really realise what you are capable of.
Change your goals to align with what you WILL do in this period. Swap CAN’T’ for WON’T taking ownership of the situation and explore and create like never before!
We have the time, use it wisely!