We were forced to step back. No matter what we did or how much we enjoyed our work, we were given the gift of time away from what we thought we knew, especially in our work lives.

It's like the world called a time-out. We drew a collective sigh and breath as we took a deeper look into who we are and what we're up to. How did we or can we use what we have learned, especially about ourselves and our own needs?

We may even have considered our personal lives. Were they/are they all they could be? Does our relationship meet our needs or have we been somehow settling for less than we deserve? Have we been the best we could be as partners ourselves? What about the children and the people we cherish? Did it take a pandemic to allow us to appreciate what we have?

It is entirely reasonable to think that many of us have benefited from the time away from our routines of life. At a minimum, we have understood the importance of those we love but perhaps there are much greater lessons learned. Perhaps your response was much more profound.

Whether you used this time to get clear on what is truly important, or allowed that fact to become the driving force for real change in your work and/or home life, it is, as always, your call. Hopefully, you will recall this time when your personal shift transitioned from what you have lost to all you have gained.