Seize the Opportunity

Our country's current quarantine in response to the deadly coronavirus got me thinking back to a very uncertain time in my life...

Back in 2008, when the market crashed, I was working as an underwriter for a mortgage company. For several years, after my journalism career ended (I'll tell you about that later!), I had worked my way up at this company, from a loan auditor, to a loan closer, to an underwriter. I was making decent money, but I was doing the same thing everyday, and truth be told I was getting bored. There was no more growth for me, and I was feeling stagnant.

Then when the market crashed, I seized the opportunity! Being a teacher was always my first choice as a career.  In October of that same year, I remember receiving my severance package, and a week later I already had my foot in the door...I was a substitute teacher at a nearby middle school. It was the beginning of the next chapter in my life, and I've been teaching ever since.

Why am I telling you this?

Well. It got me thinking of the current situation we're all facing. Besides the likelihood of an increase in divorces (some couples may not make it through this quarantine!), or a huge baby boom nine months from now (right?), we need to use this unexpected opportunity and turn it into something positive and productive.

What does that mean?

Whether it's taking on some of those home improvement projects you've been putting off, learning a new language, removing clutter from each room in your house, cleaning out and reorganizing your closet, starting a new business, taking an online course, writing a book, planning that move to be closer to family... whatever it is...there's no better time than now.

And I get it. With things so uncertain, you may not feel like doing anything right now besides watching TV and eating a whole lot. That's me most days. But allow yourself only one or two days to wallow in your feelings. That's it.

Now is the time.

Seize this your opportunity. What are you waiting for!