Pearls, Pods, Purpose

Dear Pearls, 

Thank you for patiently awaiting the next blog post of Nacr3! Covid-19 has been a major interruption in the flow of everyone's lives from our children to our elderly. Everyone has been impacted in a major way in all areas of their livelihoods: socio-economic, mental health, emotional health, family and friend relationships, and physical health. No one can doubt that it's highly unlikely that things will return to be 100 percent the same as our Pre-COVID lives, but Pearls this world-wide pandemic (both Covid-19 and BLM) has taken a toll on us all and we should look to recollect and emerge as the Pearl you are! Just think of COVID/BLM as the irritant our little oyster needed to create the best that is within us. 

During the brief hiatus, every other day, week, and month I continued to contemplate the scope and sequence of the blog yearly outline. The first 2 weeks of March until the present day has shown me a few things about my own Nacr3. And I figured that I can't be the only Pearl experiencing these abrupt changes in my life. Changes, based on their swift onset, proved to overwhelm, to say the least about it. And changes brought me to consider Pandemic Pearls, a trendy twist on your community: Pods, and how to define my Pearl Purpose in this new shift on reality. 

• What's your Nacr3 made of Pearl? Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...? How about ... Courage! Even the forlorn Lion in The Whiz recognized courage as being one of the keys to an authentic life. COVID has shown me that Faith + Strength + Informed and Thoughtful Action = Courage. I remember advising my team at the beginning of the Pandemic that this is a time to reinvent yourself, develop new skills, and to develop your own niche brand as we go on this forced adventure. My pep talk for them was really for me. I want to not only encourage them to be courageous but remind myself. Taking my own advice, I began to look for literature to assist me in making the best moves. Brene Brown's book, "Dare to Lead" is an awesome guide on developing your ability to use courage as a tool to increase authentic, meaningful relationships and outcomes whether professional or personal.  Courage to continue on your entrepreneurial journey and to not let fear overtake your efforts. I know that my new Pandemic Pearls will consist of Faith, Compassion, Persistent Strength, and most of all Courage.  You need your Strength to be Courageous. 

• COVID-19 has not only impacted our routines but our communities. Affectionately known as Pandemic Pods, these are COVID-free micro-communities. Now more than ever is the need to really consider the health of your community.  Pearls can acknowledge that your community is congruent with Resilience, so the maintenance of your Pandemic Pods/community is critical to your resilience in every area of life especially when it comes to your health. Yes, you can consider your professional pandemic pods that may include your volunteer organizations, spiritual groups, professional development groups such as Toastmasters International but this approach (Pandemic Pods) is important for personal connections also. Understand that protecting your personal health within your community shows that you care for others. Everyone caring for themselves and others is how we will beat COVID-19.  I have made an agreement with my selected Pod-mates that I will do my part to keep the pod COVID-free, which means social distancing and or choosing an activity that lessons my exposure, maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, and being flexible. Here's a link for the most current information on how to bend the curve of the COVID Pandemic, protect your Pandemic Pods, and maintain your Resilience. 

• Discovering your Purpose through a Pandemic.  The notion to consider your purpose in life hit different when it's a Pandemic. People have allowed this calamity to inspire them to take action to see a change in this world, to value life and the connection it creates when you invest your heart into it. 1. Obviously, the Pandemic has provided us all with an opportunity to sit quietly and reflect. Reflection allows you to assess how best to move forward in life. 2. Consider what is something that you are passionate about, would like to do more of, and do it well. You can even consider whether you'd like to receive remuneration for your impassioned purpose. 3. Conduct market research on persons in your area with this same purpose and how their efforts are being compensated. 4. State and write down your goals related to being paid for your passion to measure progress and 5. Reassess when needed, be flexible, and be Luminous in your journey as you Persist in your Purpose. 

Don't let Covid-19 stop your progress during this time of uncertainty. Keep your Pearl mantra in the forefront of your thoughts and stay Strong with Courage, be Resilient, and protect Yourself and your Pod/community and Luminate in your Purpose. 

Yours Truly,

DBC