Now is the time to be authentically you

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global economy. But just because the effect on the global economy has been devastating, this does not mean that you need to be devastated. You are still a person; you still have much worth inside you. You still can make your own choices and strategic moves in your business and your life.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of being authentically you. It is often in times of crises like these that we are forced to remind ourselves and each other of our true selves and our true worth. True resilience shines brightest in the fiery light of adversity. We will often not understand how strong we are before we have to be.

In our current economic climate, I have spotted what call ‘the cheese migration’. In his book Who moved my cheese? (appropriately subtitled An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life) Dr Spencer Johnson’s message is clear: no source of cheese lasts forever, change is inevitable. Anticipate it, adapt to it, learn to embrace it, and enjoy it. The cheese has not disappeared, it has just moved. The sooner we entrepreneurs realise this, the more we put ourselves back in a position of power within our own organisations so that we can assess, plan, predict and make our own key strategic moves.

This is exactly what is happening in the post-corona economy. Large industries have shifted virtually overnight. Some previously ‘normal’ industries such as the entertainment, knowledge and self-sustainability industries have exploded into million-dollar opportunities overnight. Other previously million-dollar industries like the tourism industry have virtually disappeared almost overnight. Entrepreneurs are finding themselves in a post-corona economy where they experience having to deal and come to terms with either an explosion of work and unprecedented, almost desperate, growth or waking up to a desolate almost desert-like organisation where before there were savannahs of opportunity. It is up to every single individual entrepreneur to know that, accept that and realise that now is the time for making key strategic moves.

This is where Natalie Joel, certified Keto Coach, ProTech Mentor and Expert Coach on our Fempreneur Course, shines as a business coach. According to Natalie, now is the time to get back to your roots, remember your worth as a business owner and as a basic human being, and actively make the changes you need to make in your lifestyle in order to take care of that worth. ‘You did not get to be a top fempreneur by life being easy. You had to go out and get it! If you feel you are worth it, you will find it will flow into your business life as well,’ says Natalie.

What does this have to do with being a successful entrepreneur in a post-corona economy? The answer, according to Natalie, is ‘everything’! ‘Our responses to how we do things if we are physically run down will be quite different from how we respond if we are energised.’ One example is when your blood sugar is low because of the way you eat.
So, now is the time to dig deep and take care of yourself first so that you can take care of your business later. Your business deserves to have you by its side, actively working for and towards its success and you can only do that when you are functioning at your best. Natalie explains: ‘What state you are in depends on what type of state you already know. Unfortunately, many of us only know the negativity in certain states.’ For example, in a state of rage or anger, many of us can become abusive and nasty − we need to learn how to behave differently in the different states. Understanding how to direct your state is understanding how to get the best out of yourself at any time and then to master your state, which will then master your body.

One way that Natalie suggests we do this is by actively creating and recognising the importance of anchors in our lives. An anchor, in simple terms, is a pleasant memory, event or feeling that is cognitively attached to something tangible such as music, a letter, reminder or memento. When you find yourself moving into a negative state, you should allow yourself time with one of your ‘anchors’. This will help you recall and shift into a more pleasant state of being. Such skills can be used over and over again with great effect in both your personal life and your entrepreneurial ventures.
‘This is not the time to be spending time with negative or toxic individuals,’ says Natalie. ‘By actively making the choice to live in a healthy state of being and align with individuals who have chosen the same, we can get so much more out of ourselves and out of others. Stress is a big factor in our lives: one that can seep into every aspect of our private and business lives. By decreasing our stress, we will increase our energy level and improve our sleeping pattern. If you have people in your life that contribute to maximising your stress load, minimise your time spent with them and actively recognise and seek the value of healthy connections in your life,’ she advises.
‘And leave the doughnuts and other sugary treats in the pre-corona world. You do not need sugar to get through your workday, finish off that audit, or attack that new client quote. Sugar is a short-term solution in a world that requires long-term solutions built on grit, determination and self-care, not quick fixes aimed at destroying your health.’
If you feel this is great information but you have no clue where to start, don’t fret. You can start making healthy changes to your lifestyle aimed at allowing yourself to achieve your true purpose in life quite easily and with minimal effort. Natalie advises that the best way to start on this journey is to take time to consciously think about how you are feeling and envelop mindfulness in what you do. You will be amazed at how you will realise that you can be in control of your own destiny. ‘A wonderful idea would be to chart this as well and see how often you slip into negative thought creating extra stress for yourself, and then see how you can mindfully raise your positivity and bring about increased energy and maximise your productivity and vitality,’ says Natalie.

I don’t know about you, but as an entrepreneur making moves in a post-corona economy I cannot wait to start on this journey and see where it takes me. I believe that I will ‘find my cheese’ in the process − because I am an #EconomicWarrior, and that is what we do!

AUTHOR │ Nestene Botha (CA)SA RA, Managing Director, ProTech Accounting Solutions Pty Ltd and Coloring4Covid NPO