HOW TO SURVIVE (and YES, EVEN THRIVE) IN THE NAVIGATION OF CHANGE : UPSKILLING

I can't tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “what on earth am I going to do in isolation”!

It just makes my eyes roll back in my head when I hear this.  I’m sorry if this is you, but you need to know that there is such a lot to do & it doesn't involve NETFLIX.

Even if you are not ISOLATING, you still need to read this. 

As the very core of my personal & professional life is learning & education, it was a natural move for me to introduce Upskilling into my weekly agenda.

When this all started, I’ve got to admit that I wasn't entirely convinced that we were going to see a lot of change so I went about reorganising the fridge, the wardrobes, kitchen cupboards & the linen press thinking that by the time I got through that, we’d be somewhere back to normal. 

However, when that was all done & we saw shops & restaurants close, supermarket shelves stripped of essential items & the new dialogue was that we were going to be living the “new normal” for a pretty long time. 

It was then that I decided that I needed to put some thought, & action, into what I was going to do next.  Besides looking after regular clients whose doors were closing & business initiatives changing, what could I do to keep myself mentally stimulated during this time of change & challenges?

Sure, it’s great to get in a little more exercise time or watch that movie you haven't had time to see yet or even spend more time with the kids.

All that is great but let’s mix it up a bit.  After all, it’s going to be a while. 

Not only can Upskilling allow you to learn something new, taking the time to Upskill at a time when the whole world is taking a breath, might just be the best thing you can do for your mental & physical health. 

And the best thing is, anyone can do it!

If I can do it at 80, so can you!

My friend Shellie, is a prime example.  Shellie is 80 years young, yep, you read right. 

She is 80 & what an inspiration she is.

Shellie lives in Florida & I first “virtually” met her when we both joined a common interest group on Facebook a couple of years ago.   Shellie is a Health / Life Coach & Zumba Fitness Instructor. 

I keep saying this with a huge smile on my face.  Yep, & she’s 80 years young!

I love seeing Shellie’s posts because she is always so positive & now she continues to inspire me with her enthusiasm to explore all avenues necessary to continue to serve her clients even in these unusual times.  

Yes, “& I’m still smiling”, she still has clients at 80.

Shellie sums it up in her post where she’s “taking on the beast” of technology.  You can read the full transcript of her post below.

“I must admit that technology intimidates me and yet, if I want to continue teaching people, it’s time for me to take on the beast.

If I can do it at 80, so can you.

For the past 50 yrs, I have been coaching clients, teaching Healthy Lifestyle programs, weight loss, stress management and fitness chair dance classes in person, face to face.

Due to the current pandemic, i can’t do what I am used to doing the way i used to do it. I’ve been “forced” to learn how to present my work online or keep what i do a secret.

I’ve been spending the last few weeks , while quarantined, learning to navigate Zoom as a presenter. My lap top is totally dead, so I’m learning Zoom on my iPad .

I’m very uncomfortable navigating these video platforms and learning new apps, of being behind the scenes AND being the presenter.

And I’m learning it anyway.

I expect to become more comfortable as I become more familiar with what I’m learning.”

Like I said earlier, even if you aren't in ISOLATION, you need to read this.

There are many reasons to consider your options in Upskilling.

Real Estate is also an industry where their members are considering Upskilling.

“People are clearly wanting to invest in their careers and upskill to open up other opportunities within the sector at the moment.”

You can use Upskilling to :

• Improve your knowledge;
• Improve your hiring potential or for a promotion;
• Learn a new trade; 
• Learn a new sport;
• Learn a new language (for when you can travel again); 
• Learn a new craft; or just to
• Impress your family & friends with your new cooking, gardening or renovating skills. 

To help get you started, I’ve included a few Upskilling suggestions & resources for you here.

TAFE Queensland has On-Line Courses available from:

• • Business to Nursing;
  • Child Care to IT,
  • Tradies to Tourism. 

Click on the link to find out more.  https://tafeqld.edu.au/courses/ways-you-can-study/online-learning.html?

If you're in another state other than Queensland or perhaps from another Country altogether, Google search your local resources for educational courses of your choice.  

Most of the worldwide libraries are now On-Line & can also provide a plethora of suggestions & resources for your Upskilling.  Some are even FREE. 

Digital Upskilling is another popular category.  One of my personal favourite “go to” resources for digital education is Lurn Inc. :  https://lurn.com/classroom. 

Your account set up is FREE & there are many courses also available for FREE.

Of course, if you’re into Sales, Marketing & Service, it’s hard to go past Hubspot: https://www.hubspot.com/

From my personal collection

I love to catalogue certain recipes that I try, & love, so I am pleased to share a couple of my Recipe Resources right here for you to try for yourself.  

Our personal favourite, so far, is Filipino Chicken Adobo.

Thank you Nagi Maehashi, creator of Recipe Tin Eats!

One of the other great pastimes I enjoy is reading.

I have a collection, albeit an eclectic collection, of articles, books & publications in My Book Store & I am pleased to share one of them with you here.

Kick back with a coffee or glass of wine & enjoy Steve Kim's motivating story in “Winning 60 out of 60 battles, American Dream”

Steve Kim is the owner of Sand Canyon Country Club, formerly known as Robinson Ranch, located in the desert hills of Southern California just a few minutes north of Los Angeles & surrounded by the Angeles National Forest.  

Neil & I became particularly attracted to the Course when we visited & played the Mountain Course during our time on the PGA Champions Tour.

I came across Mr Kim's book when I was retracing our journey recently & was fascinated by his story.

I hope you enjoy the read as much as I did.

They call him Asia’s Bill Gates.

That's about all I have for you in this BLOG post except to remind you that if you are looking for Admin assistance, as a VA Freelancer, I offer assistance in my office or in yours, depending on where you are.   

• Engage me for an hour, a day or a week;
• No minimum hours;
• No limitations or restrictions; and
• I have a very attractive hourly rate which can be adjusted to a package rate if the task is on-going.

If this is not for you right now, maybe you know of someone who could benefit from my services. 

Please, 100%, feel free to share this post or my website with colleagues or friends in your network. 

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PS :  Before I go, if you haven't read my FREE eBook, How to Survive (and Yes, Even Thrive) In The Navigation of Change: Working From Home, click on the link to download your FREE copy now.  

It's packed full of helpful tips & wholesome advice to help you navigate your way through the change.