Two days ago, on 16th March 2020, the government in my country, Malaysia informed that the whole country would undergo the “movement control order”, where the people’s movement will be restricted to cope with the crisis on hand, which is the Coronavirus.
And today, as you’re reading this article, it is the second day for the movement lockdown.
I know this article is going to be a heavy subject to talk about especially for people in countries that encountered a similar situation.
And this is the first time Malaysian faced such a dire situation, but we understand that there’s nothing we can do to better cope with the current crisis at hand.
At this moment, I’m sitting at my home, writing this article to you. I understand that this is a privilege that I have as a blogger.
And I also understand that as a blogger in the personal development industry, I wanted to share my opinion and help as many people as possible to go through this tough situation.
Most businesses and companies have been shut down, except for those in certain industries like banking.
The stock market is bleeding, Ringgit is weakening, and many people have no choice but to force to work from home.
Some who can’t work from home are forced to take unpaid leaves. And this “movement control order” will last for 14 days.
Who knows if it will be prolonged if things are not getting control? Of course, we all should hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
And this is why I decided to write about the lessons we can learn from the battle with Coronavirus.
Here’s what you can learn about life and success during a time of crisis…
1. Things won’t last forever
The situation will not last forever, just like rain. It can’t rain all the time. The rain will eventually stop, and the sun will shine again.
If you’re running a business and are facing some tough times, try your best to persist and hustle through the hard times.
It is not going to be easy, but if you can survive and get yourself prepared yourself through the hardships when the tough times are gone, you will thrive.
2. There are opportunities in crisis
As a Chinese in Malaysia, I understand the word crisis is written in two characters: danger + opportunity.
Yes, we’re undergoing a crisis right now, but it also means that there are opportunities out there too. Like people selling gloves, face masks, and sanitizers, their businesses are booming. So with the insurance industry.
Do you know how Richard Branson got the idea of starting an airline? He got the idea and found the opportunity in crisis too. Read the story from Sir Branson’s blog post here.
Although there are opportunities in crisis, please do not exploit the situation. Don’t try to make quick money by selling over-priced masks or sanitizers. Grow your business and earn money in an ethical way.
3. Always be prepared
This is why you want to always improve yourself and prepare for what’s coming ahead. If you are making good money but you don’t save for the rainy days, instead you spend all your money, it will be tough for you during a crisis.
Just like if you are running a business, you make a lot of money during the good times, don’t spend them all.
Don’t buy big houses, luxury items, or sports cars just to impress others how successful you are. If you are doing well in the good times, you should make sure you are doing okay too when the tough times come.
This is why you need to get yourself to always be prepared. And like I mentioned above, if you are doing a great job and are fully prepared, after the crisis, your success will multifold.
4. You will gain a better experience
Yes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. You will become stronger and wiser with a better experience.
This is common sense. We have never faced such a pandemic before, but after this, we will have the experience and know what to do.
We will only grow stronger and become better. In life and success, the experience is key. And the only way to gain experience is through doing and learning from our failures.
5. Always look at the bright side
I know, things are bad right now. But there is always a bright side. You can and should focus on the positive.
Like I always said, “You can’t live a positive life if all you think about is negativity.”
Hence, find the positive in the situation. It may be tough, but it can be a great lesson to learn.
A lot of businesses have been forced to innovate and operate online. During this partial “lockdown”, many employees are advised to work from home.
Well, in my opinion, the crisis has forced many businesses to innovate and make a change. If you don’t change, you will be wiped out. Hence, maybe this can be a good thing from the business point of view.
Read: 31 Little Things You Can Do to Improve Yourself Every Day
6. Find out what matters to you and what’s not
It is during the difficult times that you will discover what are the things that matter the most to you and what don’t.
When you’re healthy, you think that money, cars, and luxury items are important. But when you’re sick, only then you’ll find out that your health is the most important.
And during this pandemic, your health and your family members are the most important.
Nobody wants to fall sick and nobody wants to get infected by Covid-19. Thus, stay safe. And more importantly, take care of what is most important to you.
7. Things are always changing
Yes, things are changing fast, especially this year. The year 2020 is the year with the most uncertainties and changes.
If you want to thrive in these tough times, learn to adapt to the situation. Here’s what Charles Darwin said about change:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
If you’re running your own business, you should consistently innovate and improve your strategy.
Even you are working for someone else, you should keep improving your skills and knowledge so that you won’t become obsolete someday in the future.
“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”
– Bruce Lee
8. Learn to let go and move on
To be honest, there isn’t much we can do. The only thing we can do to help the situation is to self-quarantine to prevent the situation from getting worse.
This is where we must learn to let go and move on. Unless you are a scientist or medical personnel, there is nothing much an ordinary person can do.
The only thing you can do is prevent the widespread of the virus. Don’t get yourself infected!
And since you can’t do much, there is no need to over-worry or panic. Just do your part as suggested by the experts – distance yourself from others and just stay home.
9. Control your responses and change your perspective
I know, some of you may feel worried and stressed because you can’t get to work. And I know that some people may have difficulties to survive during these tough times. Some are having hard times to put foods on the table and there are bills to pay.
But, as I said above, the only thing you can do is to take control of your responses and change your perspective about the situation.
You can let the crisis takes you down. You can inspire yourself and hustle through the difficult times. The choice is yours.
Control your emotions, take charge of your thoughts, and learn to respond positively and constructively.
Remember, you are still alive.
And somehow, all of these will be over, and your future will still arrive.
Read: How to Talk to Yourself Positively
10. Bounce back and rise again
Finally, learn to bounce back and rise again.
You can fall for nine times, but you can choose to get back up and do it again for the tenth time.
It doesn’t matter what has happened to you. You can always get up and get going again.
I know it can be tough especially if you and your daily life are affected by the virus, but do understand that the only thing you can do is to stay strong and move forward.
As I always said, you can choose to feel miserable or you can choose to motivate yourself. Either way, the choice is in your hands.
And the key is that what you decide to do will greatly impact your future.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether it is a good time or bad, we need to always prepare ourselves for what’s coming. This is why I’m obsessed with personal development.
I hope this article can give you some insights into what to do and how to go through the crisis that we’re all facing right now.
Do share with me what you think and let me know your situation in your country.
And I wish you well. Stay safe, and stay strong.