Episode 189: How To Make COVID-19 Stop Messing With Your Head

How are you doing? Like really doing?Is Covid-19 Messing With Your Head? Lately, I've been having A LOT of conversations with pet business owners about how to stay strong during the COVID-19 pandemic. I can not imagine the amount of stress that so many of you are having to deal with and I know that it is not easy. But I want you to know that in this unique time, it is more important now than EVER to be on your A-Game. What you choose to do with the majority of your days NOW is going to set the stage for what Summer, Fall, and beyond will look like. Listen in as I discuss a variety of ways that you can stop COVID-19 from affecting your mental health.   Show Highlights [3:00] - Why are routines so important, especially during COVID-19? [5:00] - How cleaning can help you feel a sense of accomplishment and even help others in need. [7:00] - Why the strong are getting smart - and how you can too! [10:00] - Consider joining the Pet Industry COVID-19 Survival Group [13:00] - How you can ask for help & start giving yourself what you need. [15:00] - How do I know if I'm an essential business? Links To Stop Covid-19 From Messing With Your Head Pet Industry COVID-19 Survival Group: jumpconsulting.net/survival The Ultimate Resource Guide For Pet Business Owners During COVID-19: /the-ultimate-resource-guide-for-pet-business-owners-during-covid-19/ Jump Mastermind: /mastermind/ Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 189 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Hey everyone, we are in interesting times. It is currently April 2020 and COVID-19 has hit the entire world as a pandemic. We are all going through things at different stages, and I kind of wanted to talk about how to make COVID-19 stop messing with your head. Today, I'm not going to just rave rashash kumbaya. I'm going to give you some actual advice of what you can do. And I'm going to actually follow it up with how to know if you're an essential business, because that's also something that's really important on people's minds right now. I hope that this podcast inspires you. We are approaching 90,000 downloads, and I'm just so ridiculously excited for that. I would love to know your feedback about this podcast too, so feel free to reach out to me always at [email protected]. So guys, how are you really doing? Like really, really? I can't imagine that you're having the best time of your life right now. I've been talking to countless business owners around the world the past three or four weeks, and I've realized a few things—things that I want to talk about today. I'm not doing this for ratings or downloads or any algorithm. Even the title of this isn’t sexy or catchy, but this is really just from my heart to yours, no holds barred. I know so many people are dealing with different things—sobriety, depression, loneliness, anger, worry, or fear of passing a child back and forth in this climate. Maybe you were on the verge of breaking up with your spouse and now you’re stuck at home together for endless weeks. I cannot imagine the stress that might be going on in your household or your life. It's really easy to be swallowed up by it and let it knock you down and leave you there. I mean, why not? Everyone else is taking a time out, right? It's like we’re all in kindergarten and told to go sit in the corner. Tomorrow we can do it, right? Wrong. I can’t stress how important it is that right now you be more on your A-game than ever before. This is an opportunity, and only the strong will take advantage of it and survive long-term. What you choose to do every day right now will drastically affect you in the summer and fall. In order to rev up for this kind of fight, there are a few things we need to get control over first—and these things are deciding factors in successful entrepreneurs. Let’s first talk about routines. I’ve talked about this before, but right now, we have micro-routines. We’ve been knocked off balance. Our rhythm of life has changed, and I can’t tell you exactly what kind of routine to have, but I will tell you that having a regular routine will help your body clock. A lot of us can either be intentional or unintentional about it. Maybe you drag out of bed, start working, hit a wall, feel depressed, pour some wine, or can’t sleep. That pretty much describes my past couple of weeks. That’s my truth. I’ve tried working out and taking walks. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t—but every day is a new day. I’m not always great, but I’ll keep showing up for you. Something else that can help your mental stability and give you a win—even if your business is closed—is organizing and cleaning. Look at your clothes. Anything you haven’t worn in a year, donate it. Go through your kids’ toys or your garage, basement, or attic. Play music or your favorite podcast and just go to town. Get messy, get sweaty, and organize. You might even put up Christmas lights again—some people have done that to bring joy. Go through your pantry and toss expired items or donate extras. Scan in old documents or pictures to create digital copies and share them with family. And hey, sometimes you can just bless the mess and leave it too. These are ideas for when you want to feel productive or accomplished. Another thing: go get wicked smart. Did you know many of us have apps and software we don’t fully use? What if you became a total ninja at one of them? The strong are getting smarter right now. Maybe it’s reading a book or taking a free online class. In the mastermind and pop-up group, we’ve been reading about triumphing over tragedy and how resilient people have always been—even during bombings in wartime England, people still did business every day. We’ve all had our COVID-19 moments before: loss, divorce, death, health struggles. We are resilient. For example, I just learned StreamYard to improve my livestreams. I went to YouTube, watched tutorials, and boom—it’s now my go-to. If you want to learn how to get your business through this crisis, we still have the Pet Industry COVID-19 Support Group that’s helped over 100 businesses already. You’ll have access to recordings even after it closes. Go to jumpconsulting.net/survival. Knowledge is power, and we have to fight fear with facts right now. I also want you to give yourself permission. There are so many things guilt or endless to-do lists have prevented you from doing. The time to do it all is now. Go on a walk with your dog and listen to music or podcasts. Netflix and chill guilt-free. Mess up a recipe—it’s okay. Journal with pen and paper. There’s something freeing about writing longhand. Just write for 10 minutes straight. Once your brain realizes it’s free, you’ll be surprised what comes out. I was recently talking to Maureen Dunn McCarthy from Loving Kisses Pet Sitting in North Carolina, and she said: “I’ve decided to use this time to make time for me. Sometimes the world works in strange ways. This time is telling us to slow down, spend time with family, read, take walks, and call people we love.” Truer words have not been said. I hope that no matter where you are—open or closed—you reach the stage of acceptance so you can start doing something about it. Dr. Ai Addyson-Zhang came into our support group and said something powerful: we must learn, unlearn, and relearn. That’s exactly what this time is for. We can take this opportunity to be still, think about what’s missing, and ask for what we need. Maybe it’s joining a mom’s group, improving nutrition, joining a business group, or taking time off. Ask yourself: what do you need? For some, this is an opportunity to rest. For others, to get ahead or achieve long-term goals. In the mastermind, we’re starting a 14-day challenge—small daily focuses to stay productive. People are watching you, so how are you going to lead during this time? Jessica Phillips of Now Marketing Group said there will be takers, fakers, and makers. Takers exploit situations. Fakers pose as experts without results. Makers turn this mess into something meaningful. Be a maker. Take an active part in your life. Don’t let news networks drain your energy. Decide how you want to lead yourself, your relationships, your business, and your community. Now, about being an essential business. Many people ask if they should stay open. It’s hard to decide. Some close to help flatten the curve; others are scared to close because they need income. My heart goes out to you. We are all grieving and going through stages—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. You’re entitled to feel all of it. If you’re unsure whether you can stay open, here’s what to do: Go to your governor’s website—Google your state name and “non-essential workers.” Contact city hall or email them (email is best so you have a record). Contact your Chamber of Commerce—they often have direct access to local government. Consult your CPA, lawyer, or HR professional.