The Next Right Step: How to Survive a Global Pandemic

Colonel Hannibal Smith often exclaimed, "I love it when a plan comes together." I couldn't agree more with the colorful leader of the A-Team. Whether it's short term or long term, planning for a road trip or a great party and family gathering, creating professional and life goals, or Mr. T and his cohorts rescuing underdogs from unlikely scenarios, there is something so satisfying about putting a plan together. It's even better when the plan actually works!

Enter Covid 19, stage left.

I know I'm not the only one whose plans for 2020 went horribly awry due to Covid. From time with family and friends, to business finances and goals, and travel for work, I had so many plans for 2020 that came to naught. As you are reading this, I am sure many of you are thinking of how your own plans for life changed dramatically this year with no clear answer yet in sight. (The reality is so many have been devastated this year both nationally and globally, I am thankful for every blessing I have!) So what do I do when there are so many unknowns beyond my control? How do I seek to thrive daily during such global and personal uncertainties? I started asking myself regularly, "What is the next right step?"

The truth of the matter is I have never been immune to the uncertainties and casualties of life, but the pandemic has highlighted my lack of control over my situation. By focusing on the next right thing to do each day based upon that day's circumstances, I am finding direction and grace, despite not being able to satisfy my need to create plans and have them go accordingly. While there are still business and personal challenges that are beyond my control, by focusing upon the next right step my work has been accepted into six international shows since March, and I have won three awards: I won Second Place in Fusion Art's 5th Annual Animal Kingdom Exhibition, I was named a finalist in the Boynes Emerging Artist Award, and I received the Catalyst Productions Award in the International Society of Acrylic Painters Online Exhibition. Honestly, my plan for 2020 was not primarily focused upon competing and exhibiting my work online, but to build more business connections and to seek growth with the goal of gallery representation. However, with Covid closing businesses and limiting expansion, that has not happened (yet!). Instead, thus far 2020 has given me a chance to compete and exhibit my work online, as well as opened doors for unexpected commissions.

Despite such uncertain times, my encouragement to you is that your plans do not have to go accordingly for you to move forward and to make progress with where you are today. Sometimes we move forward and go places we've never considered simply by asking ourselves, "What is the next right step?".