On a Learning Community coaching call recently, one of our members was talking about how she was feeling really lonely in her business. The first few weeks of shelter-in-place orders had started to take their toll, whereas in the beginning she was upbeat, energized, reaching out to clients and potential clients, offering to support them virtually…
But after most of them turned her down, and she was alone for a few weeks, she’s started to feel down.
First off, I want to say, “Who wouldn’t feel down?” I’ve had many down moments, and our company has been virtual for nearly two decades, and I still have a normal client flow. With the kind of business isolation she described, OF COURSE it feels terrible.
We need to have space for those feelings. And, I encouraged her to not stay there.
If you’ve had a similar situation, I want to say that of course clients were refusing in the first week or three. It was a new situation. People were in the unknown. It was a lot to adjust to, and hard to make decisions.
Now, however, it’s becoming the “new normal” even if it ends in the next month (we hope!). Many have settled into a new routine. We humans adapt quickly to a changed circumstance, and what was unbelievable two weeks ago is now kinda normal.
Those of us on the call encouraged her that if she was starting to hit walls of loneliness and isolation, her clients were, too. That it might be worthwhile to reach out again.
This brought up a story from another member on how she had embraced the stunning idea of “virtual acupuncture.” She mailed a kit to her clients, and then assessed and walked through some safe level of treatment virtually, and leaned heavily into the energy clearing work she knew. She was stunned by the result, and it deepened her trust in the fact that energy is real, and has real effects.
Because of this, she’s been maintaining a regular flow of virtual clients every week, even though her practice had been pretty much entirely in person before.
This is not an easy time. There’s no formula for how this might unfold for you or your business.
One thing is certain. You are not alone in this. And, any feelings you have of loneliness, isolation, disconnection… chances are your clients, people who need you, are feeling the same things.
People who needed your help, still need your help. People are still hiring help, engaging practitioners, getting support and care in many different ways.
Some thoughts on how to go about it.
1. Make space for your own feelings, and get support.
Lean into colleagues, friends, loved ones. Who can listen to you, and give you empathy, let you cry if you need to, and not try and fix you?
Spiritual practice is a plus, too. In our recent Virtual Retreat, so many people reported feeling nourished, connect again. Let you heart drink what it needs.
2. Come from a place of service.
This is so important, and why it’s step two. If your own heart is nourished, it’s much easier to reach out to folks from an authentic place of, “Are you okay? I just want you to get the help you need…” without any of the sticky “Oh my God please pay me I need a client!”
Take time to see the hearts you are reaching out to, and feeling/perceiving how much they need the help. Let your authentic desire to help and serve flow from you.
3. Reach out individually.
Past clients, recent current clients, colleagues, people in your networks, people in your classes. Reach out to them with individual emails and, where appropriate, text or phone calls.
What do you say? Speak from your heart. Maybe something like this:
“I was thinking of you. I’m guessing you might be hitting moments of loneliness/isolation or even overwhelm as this new normal stretches on. Can you give me an update on how you are doing with what we were working on together? This isolation is lasting longer than any of us thought, and I didn’t want you to just go unsupported.”
Whatever you write or say, think about what you would like to hear from someone. Make it warm and personal.
People, your people, are still facing what they were facing before. Don’t leave them unsupported and isolated.
How do you think your people are doing? How can you imagine reaching out to them? Or, if you have been, how have they been responding?
With love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.
We’ll be reopening briefly.
Our plans were to not re-open the Learning Community, our pay-the-heart coaching/training membership, until this summer, because that’s what we usually do. However, in the current situation, we’ve had quite a few requests.
In response, we’re going to re-open the Learning Community briefly, maybe for about 3-5 days, in early May. The best way to get notified is to be on our Learning Community Wait List.
To join the Wait List, go to the Learning Community page, and sign up:
The Heart of Business Learning Community
