This past week, so many people suffered from a superstorm that was born out of water, sand and wind. Sandy's latest stats spoke of killing an overall 161 people, including 92 in the United States (source: CNN, Nov. 2, 2012).
The aftermath of this storm has left literally hundreds of thousands of people without fuel, food, electricity, and prized possessions.
This storm was a heartbreak and one of the biggest ever in the loss of lives and finance.
And many of us felt the pain and the wrath of it even from many miles away.
Maybe you have felt loss and pain because of storms in your business - one day you're riding high, enjoying the fruits of your labor and out of nowhere it seems, you're left scraping the bottom of your budget, feeling desperation about your business model, facing naysayers who tell you to give up, unable to attract paying clients. These personal storms can take a heavy toll on you.
But there are lessons we can learn from the recovery following this devastating storm called Sandy. Lessons we can apply to life and our businesses, especially in times of loss.
Lesson 1 - You Are Not Alone
In the aftermath of a huge storm like this, it's easy to feel separated from the rest of the world. People feel isolated, like no one but their small community knows what's going on. Survivors of Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin, Missouri tornado spoke of the anger and sadness, and how alone they felt.
Victim Eileen Romero spoke of this to CNN, "I didn't even realize that we were being covered 24 hours a day," she said. "It was only months later that I comprehended that New Orleans was on TV all the time, that people cared so much about it."
When you are facing devastation in your business and in your life, you may be surprised that people care. They want you to be successful. They want you to get back on your feet. Reach out through mediums like networking communities, social media, friends and family. You don't have to share all the specifics; say what you're comfortable saying and let others help and encourage you.
Lesson 2 - Focus On What's Important
In times of tragedy, remember what's important. I was listening to an interview with a family who talked about how they lost so much. But they weren't looking for their laptops or jewelry in the wreckage; they were trying to find other loved ones, making sure they all had food, that they could be transported to safe lodging.
In business, you may find yourself falling back on familiar things like putting time and money into a website, when you could be making sure you have groceries for the month. Take inventory of what's happening and where to focus your time and money when going through a business crisis. Focus on the priorities for survival until you can get back on your feet.
Lesson 3 - Recovery Won't Happen Overnight
Even after the worst of the storm itself was over, many Sandy victims still await rescue. Although some electricity was restored, backup batteries and generators for cellphone towers have been running out of juice. It's going to take some time to get back to stability.
When you have suffered a loss in your business, it won't "fix" itself overnight. Remember there is a process to recovery and just because you don't see things turning around after making two or three efforts, it doesn't mean it's time to give up. A colleague of mine talks about how it took her 3 years to get back on her feet after her small business went bankrupt. It was not easy, but her perseverance paid off.
Hold onto your vision - keep it steady, and know that it may not be time to give up on your dream just yet. Even if you have to find temporary employment in a different field, even if you feel your previous business model has failed, it doesn't mean you should give up your idea completely.
Do what you need to survive first, surround yourself with encouragement and support, and dust yourself off to plan for the next life adventure.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” - Khalil Gibran, Artist, Poet, Writer (1883-1931)
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About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist and coach specializing in showing independent service providers how to simplify, save time & stand out with simple strategies that engage more quality leads and clients. Her company Be Promotable provides fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote business owners as power players in their market. Get free tools to simplify and stand out online at:www.tanyasmithonline.com
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