Get All Access for $5/mo

5 Lessons That Will Stay With Me After the Quarantine Going back to "normal" is the last thing I want to do.

By Kim Perell Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

kimperell.com

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people express their excitement about things returning "back to normal."

But I'll be honest with you – that's the last thing I want.

I want our lives to be even better than they were before. I want all of us to collectively move forward, not backward. I want us to take all the lessons we learned when life slowed to a grinding halt, and use them with intention to make our future that much brighter.

I want us to continue to make time for the things that matter instead of getting right back to the things that never really did.

Related: 5 Steps to Protect Your Career As We Turn Toward Recovery

As life slowly starts returning to "normal," I invite you to reflect on the things you've learned in the past few months and commit to change one thing going forward. There are so many lessons but by picking one thing to do differently, your odds of success increase dramatically.

Here are a few of the major lessons I've learned – and how we can do things differently from now on.

1. The little things make a big difference

When life slows down, you tend to notice more. Though we usually miss it, we're surrounded by so much beauty all the time. My mom opened my eyes to so much of it.

When the pandemic started, my mother moved into our house for a few months and brought her positive spirit with her. Every single morning, she'd go out on a walk and take photos of the beautiful things she saw. Then, without fail, she'd come home and show them to me and my family. Textured bark on trees, snails on the ground, a rainbow, or colorful wildflowers. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She taught me that in the midst of change, we can either find beauty in what life is or complain about what it isn't. Since then, I've appreciated the little things so much more – from my kids' infectious laughter to a gorgeous sunset to a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Try to keep creating moments of stillness, where you can notice your surroundings and appreciate them.

2. Kindness first

COVID-19 may have rocked our world – but it's something nearly all of humanity is going through together. I've been so impressed and moved by the simple acts of kindness I've seen from friends, family, and even strangers on the Internet. When you focus on the good, the good gets better. When you look outside yourself and serve someone else, your problems seem to matter a lot less.

Related: Survey Reveals 4 Transformational Remote Work Trends

Of course, kindness goes beyond just giving someone a compliment or writing a thank-you note. Sometimes, kindness means fighting for change and speaking up against injustice.

Make it a point to always be kind. You never know what someone else is going through – especially during these trying times. Be generous on every occasion. I promise you'll never regret it.

3. You decide how you spend your time (and who you spend it with)

How many times have you said to yourself, "I'm too busy to do this," or "I wish I had the time to do that"? Here's the thing: we all have the same 24 hours in a day. But what you do with it is up to you.

During the pandemic, many of us found ourselves with more time. Time to daydream, create, reflect, and plan. But as life starts to pick up speed again, you don't have to surrender all of that time. Be intentional with the way you plan your day. Think carefully about the things you'll start doing and the things you'll stop doing.

Along with that, be careful about who you let back into your circle. Continue to keep your distance from people and relationships that aren't healthy for you.

You have the ability and power to make decisions in every area of your life. You are responsible for your happiness, your friendships, and your job. If you don't like them and want to change them — you can.

4. Change is inevitable – embrace it

Don't resist change. Adapt along with it. The future may seem especially uncertain these days, but honestly, it always has been. When I graduated from college, I went to work for a company I thought was "stable." A few years later, it went bankrupt. The only certainty is uncertainty. Plan for the future as best as you know how, but be flexible when things don't turn out the way you'd expected. Look at change as an opportunity, not an obstacle.

Related: 4 Lessons for Coping With Trying Circumstances From a Polar Explorer

This is especially relevant if you have a business that's had to pivot during COVID-19. If the things you used to do aren't working, this is a good time to pivot your business. Use this time to try new things and experiment. Not everything you try out will work. And that's okay. It may take multiple attempts to figure out what works for you. There has never been a better time to try something new. Resisting change halts progress – embracing change stimulates growth.

5. The most important things in life aren't things

I know so many parents who have spent more time with their kids and family than ever before due to the pandemic. I've been traveling extensively for the last 20 years, and I like to look at these last 3 months in quarantine as a gift.

Life isn't about work or money or even success. In the end, relationships are truly what matters most. As life starts to get busier, make sure you're devoting time to what's most important. Give your family, friends, and loved ones the gift of your time. Love your family (and yourself) enough to say no to things that aren't a priority. Be intentional about your relationships and invest the time to nurture them.

As our lives start to pick up again, I hope we can all be intentional about the ways we spend our time and the things we choose to focus on.

Instead of going back to normal, let's move forward together.

What lessons has this unprecedented time taught you? How are you planning on changing your perspective or your habits as life starts picking back up again?

The Side Hustle Accelerator program developed by our VIP expert Kim Perell is full of amazing content including a hand-picked directory of 100+ Side Hustles you can start today! This step-by-step program was built for anyone ready to start their side hustle. Get started today and take advantage of this huge discount.

Kim Perell

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

CEO of Perell Ventures

Kim Perell is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author, CEO, and angel investor, who has made headlines for her transformative story of a startup entrepreneur to a leading tech CEO and prominent angel investor. Laid off from her dream job out of college, Kim started her first company from her kitchen table; going from broke to a multi-millionaire by the time she was 30, and selling her last company for $235 million.  Kim has been named one of AdAge’s Marketing Technology Trailblazers, Business Insider's Most Powerful Women in Mobile Advertising, Adweek’s Women Trailblazers, a John Maxwell Transformational Leader, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and an Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Association of Female Executives.  Kim’s passion is to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve success and is an early stage angel investor in over 90 startups, 18 of which have successfully been acquired by some of the largest Fortune 500 companies. Kim’s first book, The Execution Factor, The One Skill That Drives Success, is a national bestseller, designed to help others achieve success in business and life by mastering execution.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.