The chaos that Covid-19 has caused is clearly not over yet. However, as businesspeople, and as individuals it is incumbent upon us to find the silver lining despite all the issues. A UKGov survey says that only 8% of Britons want to go back to life as it was before the pandemic, and the Economist reports that the move to home working is likely to change work life forever (perhaps to a hybrid model). Surely this means that we have an opportunity to go way beyond some compromised version of ‘new normal’ and create a better future.

With this in mind, here are my suggestions for looking to the future, deciding what is truly important to you and taking action. By taking a minute to consider each of the 5 areas discussed below you’ll be able to head in the right direct and make positive changes.

Clarify Your Values

Our values influence our thoughts and actions and yet most of us have never stopped to consider what they are. What’s most important to you in your life? Money? Family? Honesty? Kindness? Can you see evidence of these values in your life? 

For example, if you believe you value kindness, when did you last demonstrate kindness? If you really want to know what you value look at what you do. If we are to uncover what is really important to us, we have to know our values so we can find more ways to demonstrate those values in our daily life.

Take a minute to consider what you value most. Or visit https://www.meeevalues.com/ and do our values exercise to help you identify your values.

Finding Your Direction of Travel

The key to uncovering what is important to us, often lies in the past. It is the recognition of the moments and experiences that, when taken together form a pattern or a direction of travel that will bring purpose and meaning – if we have the courage to pursue them.

Take a minute to map out your interests and where you would like to end up. How can you use the situations and resources in your life right now to reach that outcome faster? 

Write Your Anti-Bucket List!

Part of knowing what is important to us is being honest about what is not. We’ve heard of the bucket-list – all the experiences and adventures we want to have before we kick the bucket. But the anti-bucket list is just as important. This lists the things we can tick off right now because they are just not important to us.

Take a minute to write your anti-bucket list – all the things currently in your life that you would like to stop or get rid of or old goals that are just not that important to you anymore. Use the injection of energy, time or resources to make the things that are important happen. 

Get Going

Is there something you want to do but are scared it won’t work out? Whatever you want to do – just start. If you want to lose weight, take the stairs today, only have one biscuit with your morning coffee instead of two. The start doesn’t need a drum roll, fireworks or a front page spread in the local paper, it just needs to happen. 

Don’t search for signs or defining moments – they may never come. Instead make now your defining moment. Start now. Don’t question whether you are capable or worthy – just start, start small and keep going. If you falter, get back on track and keep going. Don’t stop until you have achieved what you set out to achieve.

Seek out Like-minded People

It’s the people in our life that give it meaning. When something good happens, it’s made more enjoyable when we can share it with others. When something bad happens, it can soften the blow when we have others to lean on. We need friends and family as much as we need oxygen.

Take a minute to consider who you spend the most time with.

Be aware of how you feel when you’re with the people in your life, take stock of whether they make you feel better or worse. If they are not adding positive value to your life then consider spending a little less time with them and seek out like-minded collaborators so you can be each other’s cheerleader.

Let’s find the silver linings and use our self-knowledge, determination and skills to make the most of the opportunity we have today.

About The Author

Sid Madge is founder of Meee (My Education Employment Enterprise) which draws on the best creativity and thinking from the worlds of branding, psychology, neuroscience, education and sociology, to help people achieve extraordinary lives.

www.meee.global