Two weeks ago my world turned upside-down.
My mother, who has always been fit and healthy (especially considering she’s 93 years old) was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
“You have cancer” – three words you wouldn’t wish on anyone – especially not someone you care deeply about.
Seeing her sitting in a hospital bed with tears streaming down her face – was heart breaking.
And, as we sat there with our arms around each other – I knew I had to make some significant changes in my life and business so I could be there for her as she continued down this unknown path.
Here’s what I did:
1. I got totally focused on my priorities…
… and let everything else go.
For me they were/are:
- My mother
- My family / me
- My business
Everything else had to go.
Including voluntary roles, existing and potential joint venture opportunities that were not one hundred percent aligned with my priorities, or would have demanded way more of my time than I had to offer.
2. I rallied my support team around me…
Thankfully, I have an incredibly supportive family who have all come together to support each other.
My husband and children are giving me extra cuddles and are helping out more around the house.
I’m in a wonderful business mastermind group, with each member sending me words of encouragement and support, which have been wonderful to read.
And, I have an incredible support team who have stepped up and continued to see that things are running as smoothly as possible when I’m not there.
3. I created a safe and sacred space for myself…
Grief can take a person on a roller coaster of emotions and while I need to be a rock of support for my mother, it’s also important for me to create a space where I can let my sadness, disbelief and flood of other feelings, flow.
Boy, have they flowed. And, that’s ok – I certainly don’t want to get sick by keeping it all locked away.
Also, as a Christian, being able to spend time in prayer and leave all my stress, worry, sadness etc on His shoulders, has been awesome and what has/continues to pull me through!
These past few weeks have certainly put many things into perspective for me, with the above three steps certainly helping me to cope.
So, what about you?
What steps would you need to take if something unexpected happened in your life and/or business?
- What would your top three priorities be?
- What would you need to let go of that is no longer serving you?
- Who do you need to surround yourself with to give you that extra support?
- And, who do you need to let go of because they’re no longer supporting you?
- Have you created a safe space for yourself where you can relax and rejuvenate your energy?
- What do you need to let go of that’s preventing you from creating this sacred space?
Remember, you are your business’s greatest asset – so what steps will you take to ensure you look after your business’s greatest asset?
Let me know in the comments below. It’s always great to hear from you!
