Twilight by definition is the sunlight scattering above and below the atmosphere so that Earth’s surface is neither completely lit nor completely dark. It’s the “in-between.” The time where it can go either way, light or dark, depending on your position on the earth’s surface. In a time in our history where nature is battling against man-made conditions and men and women are having to adapt to climate crises, COVID-19, economic dissonance, and a dizzying daily news cycle, we seem to teeter on the edge of circumstances and our own capacity to deal with them.
Pay cuts, job loss, home-schooling, and costly and scary climate events are all enough to make you want to assume the fetal position and never come out from under the covers. Sometimes, you just have to say it’s all too much and take a day off. But, when you return—when you show up to your life the next day, there is no room to cling to the cloak of doom. You have to shed it and enter the light side of the “Twilight Zone.”
Can we hold both the good and the bad at the same time? Being scared and doubtful while still having a vision for a great future and the confidence to get there?
I think we can, and human history shows that we have many times over. It’s just new for a lot of us.
COVID-19 has given us an opportunity. Yes, there are challenges too, but if you no longer have a commute, in person events, and a busy social life, you have more time. More hours and more mental space for reflection and even innovation. Yes, innovation. Your work, your life, and your business can all benefit from this pause, even when it’s incredibly scary and uncertain.
It’s time to pivot. It’s time to create.
In these last several months, my coaching clients have created:
- A legacy project (while remaining employed) that engages his passions and will serve others for years to come
- A full reinvention from corporate leader to purposeful community leader
- Strong habits and business practices that increased revenues for two solopreneurs
- A job exit plan with a new venture in the wings
- Strategy and investment in a scale-up and COVID pivot for one business
What does it take? Simply the willingness to face the problem. Avoidance is our greatest enemy. The sooner we face the challenge and tell the truth, the less elusive the solution will become. Clarity will come.
For those unemployed, furloughed, or concerned that there has been permanent irreversible disruption to your life, you too must face your reality. Don’t wait. Create an “in the meanwhile” opportunity. Maybe get into something you’ve always wanted to do.
This is not a time to play it safe and wait out the pandemic. Whether you are an employee or running your own show, this is a time to be BOLD. Chaos calls for leadership, and you get to choose the light and lead. Fear is normal. Darkness is easy to succumb to. It makes you want to go to sleep! But don’t. Now is not the time to sleep.
Stay awake, watch for the inner prompts that arise from a slower schedule, and act. Lean into the light of the twilight.
Let us know how we can help.
This is beautiful.. Thank you. Be well 🙂
Laura,
As always, you are inspiring all of us with this message. So positive and creative. Thank you for leading the way !
Thank you, Val!
Great message. I am in transition and seeking to start something new for myself. I no longer am going to stay stuck in a rut and say “I need to look for the same job because it is what I have done and know for the past 20 years.”
Laura, it’s been 24 years since I turned to you as a coach to help me make a successful shift in my business. I still read every one of your emails and posts. You continue to inspire, and I’m in full agreement with your thoughts in this article.
When 1/3 of my income was suddenly put on hold in March as a result of COVID, I decided not to panic, and instead, to use that time I just gained to go through every drawer and cabinet in my home office (where I’ve worked for 24 years) and to clean out. It was a coming full circle, where I revisited my career successes and the many colleagues I’ve had; got rid of a lot of files I no longer needed; am in the process of updating my portfolio and website; and I created space (both physically and energetically) to decide what’s next in my business. It has been freeing and inspiring. I’ve very excited to see how I will shift and pivot now, and what I will create next! When we stay grounded and calm in the face of adversity, it’s amazing what we can do!
Wow Denise! I love that we have this history! Thanks for sharing this. Perfect way to prepare for the new, yet-unseen future.
That’s it, Mark! Reinvent. Think of your life and what you want it to look like.
The resume is just a tool, not a mandate of your future.
Thank you!