Feeling Insecure in these Uncertain Times
If you are feeling insecure about your career, finances, family life, health, or a myriad of other things you are not alone. It is pretty normal to feel insecure when so much of what is going on is not in our control.
I had a great discussion with Eliz Greene in the podcast episode Dealing with Stress and Uncertainty with Eliz Greene. Eliz discusses focusing on what you can control and let go of what you cannot.
I published my post recently Watching the Response to the Pandemic from Mexico. My wife and I live in Ajijic, Jalisco Mexico which is just south of Guadalajara. We need to return to Texas to get the car inspected, pickup some nutritional supplements, and get a replacement cell phone. My wife’s iPhone was stolen last week and I have a workaround for the time being but we really need to return to the US at some point in time to pick up a replacement.
I am watching COVID-19 cases explode in Texas while things are pretty stable here in the state of Jalisco. Feeling insecure about making a good decision on when to return is definitely creeping into my psyche.
I want to discuss what we can do about feeling insecure.
Are You Feeling Insecure About Your Career?
There are multiple members of the Career Pivot Membership Community who have been hired in recent months.
Some are working remotely with the intention of eventually moving to work in the office. When that will happen is unknown. One of them has been told they will return to the office in July of 2021 but …. that is to be seen.
Others have been hired remotely knowing they would have to travel some. The airlines had been telling us that they would allow for proper social distancing. Well … American Airlines says it will fill planes to capacity starting July 1. Doesn’t that warm the cockles of one’s heart? I am quite sure other airlines will follow their lead.
Others are looking for work but it is unclear who is really hiring.
Yet others are wondering when the next shoe will drop. I recently updated my post Should I Take the Buyout Package?
Well, it looks like buyouts have started in a variety of industries. Check out the CNN article The buyouts are here.
Focus on what you can control! Listen to my podcast episode with Tammy Gooler Loeb called Networking and Remote Work in the COVID-19 World with Tammy Gooler Loeb where we discuss how to leverage your network.
Your network has never been more important.
What About Your Mental and Physical Health?
There is no question that lots of people are going to experience a lot of mental health issues as this crisis evolves – particularly among healthcare workers and first responders.
In response, many of us have started exercise routines and changed our diets as we eat more at home.
This is a good time to reset and re-evaluate how you want to take care of your mental and physical health. My wife and I are now doing yoga twice a week with a group over Zoom. We have also carved out time and putting it on the calendar to go hiking every week.
I am fortunate that where I live in Mexico, fresh produce is plentiful and inexpensive. In my post, My Life after an Amazing Two Years as a Digital Nomad I used the following picture.
My virtual assistant responded almost immediately after I finished it to say I was so skinny. I am at the same weight as I was when I graduated from college. This is the result of a healthy diet.
Focus on what you can control which is diet and exercise.
Are You Feeling Insecure About Your Finances?
I think I can say all of us have learned to live on less during this pandemic. There is simply not a lot of opportunities to spend money on things we used to spend a lot of money on. This includes eating out, taking vacations, going to the movies, buying cars, and many other discretionary spending items.
This is the time to create a budget and start to decide what you can cut once we can go out to spend money again.
Similarly, this is the time to review your investments and retirement accounts. Is this the time to start moving out of the market. I have been regularly dollar-cost averaging out of the market for the last several years. My portfolio is 55 percent stocks and 45 percent bonds and cash. This has really reduced my stress as the markets continue to go down then up and then down again.
Take control of your finances!
Are you still working or have you been laid off?
Either way, this is the time to leverage your network. I will publish a great interview with Thom Singer on my podcast on June 20th of 2020 about how he is adjusting. I first interviewed Thom in episode #15 of the podcast in 2017 when he told us about his transition from being a business development, sales, and marketing professional to being a full-time public speaker. He had built himself quite a business that completely dried up this last March. Six months of bookings disappeared in a poof!
Thom is leveraging his network to find work that will sustain him and his family until the meeting industry returns. He has been calling people every day and explaining his situation. At the end of every call, he asks what would you do if you were in my shoes. He gets lots of “I don’t know” but has been getting some pretty useful ideas.
Thom started as an executive recruiter, which is pretty much 100% commission while he continues to revive his speaking business doing virtual speaking engagement.
Thom is leveraging his network. He is focusing on what he can control.
Are You Focusing on What You Can Control?
We are living through a once in a lifetime event that seems to on and on and on and on… We are halfway through the year already.
Are you feeling insecure? If you are, you are not alone!
What are you doing to focus on those things you can control?
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