Remember when we were making plans for 2020 to be the best year ever? An old piece of military wisdom comes to mind: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” A lot of us have been using the term “pivot” to describe what we need to do in response to the pandemic, so how exactly do we do that? To pivot is to change direction without losing your balance. Here’s what i’m trying to do:
Be thankful! If you have a roof on your head, food on your plate, and a family that’s safe, then you’re better off than most.
Let go of “what could have been”. We’re in a new timeline now. Best to realign your expectations with reality.
Secure your everyday necessities first. Get some positive cashflow going. “Bawal maging choosy”, just don’t do anything illegal and don’t take advantage of others.
Redefine what success means for you this year. Focus on achievable milestones and keep building on each small success.
Try new things but use your time and money wisely. Treat every second and every peso as an investment. An investment that always pays off: time spent with your family, so carve out a chunk of your day for that before anything else.
Create more than you consume. Make videos, write, sing, draw, cook.
Collaborate with others but be careful about getting sucked into other people’s plans. Any collaboration should be in line with your own goals and be mutually beneficial.
Don’t get too attached to your plans. Keep your eyes on the prize but be ready to pivot again and again.
Surrender to God. My one key takeaway from this whole pandemic experience is that we are ultimately not in control. To rephrase my earlier quote: “No human plan survives God’s divine agenda.” We’re not the masters of our fate, we’re workers who were made for a purpose, and every day we’re given is a chance to discover what that is.
