New Lockdowns Are Not the Answer

I remember a saying from back in the day “fear sells”. This is the reason why more bad news appears in the papers than good news. Bad news captures headlines. Good news is often buried on obscure pages below the fold.

As restrictions are easing up and more people are once again gathering with friends, dining on outdoor terraces, etc., new cases of coronavirus are on the rise. Of course this is going to happen. The goal of lockdown was to “slow the spread” and that goal was accomplished. What needs to be done now is to find a new way of life because the world has been forever changed by COVID-19.

What can we do? Keep the number of people coming together in one place to a reduced number to enable a safe distance between them. Beyond that, everyone needs to personally consider where they are going, how many people will be there and what is the risk of getting sick. Personal responsibility is a must. Closing down the world is not the answer. Change is the answer. We need to see what will work and what will not. This is a proactive approach that allows people to have control over their actions and their lives. We need to be able to enjoy life again. We need a “new normal”. We need to accept change is a part of this. Some things will return. Some things may not return. Everything will be different.

The End of May, 2020

Phase 1 opening started in New York this past week. It will be interesting to see what happens with the number of new cases of COVID-19. What will the government reaction be if we see a sharp rise in new cases? Can you keep shutting business down or should the smart approach be to let people decide for themselves? I am in favor of letting people decide for themselves how they want to deal with the virus. There isn’t much more we can do. The reality at the end of the day is simple. We succeeded in flattening the curve but the curve is simply that; flat. It is not at the bottom. The virus is still out there. Every day more is learned about COVID-19 andevery day is more confusing because the demographics of the people that are getting sick constantly change. 

Business successfully adapted and did so quickly. Schools did an unthinkable shift to remote learning. Some businesses may not recover from this. Some industries will look completely different and some will not survive. A part of me expected, in time, a return to normal. When a 14 day shut down to flatten the curve turned into an additional 30 days to flatten the curve, 45 days seemed like a very long time and then the shut down continued. Now we need to create a new normal if we want to go on with lives that are not locked behind closed doors and windows. We can take the lessons learned and look at ways to permanently include the changes we made in our work and in our personal lives. Some things are better than before. Some things need modifications. Some things were temporary - the government shutting us down and taking to the airwaves to give us daily updates, comforting in the very beginning, quickly lost their appeal as we lost our ability to control our lives. I hope the temporary goes away soon and doesn’t come back. 

I find myself looking forward again. There are many things that are still unknown. The biggest unknowns revolve around community. Dining out; car shows; charity fundraisers; school; museums; church; weddings; celebrations, etc. Can we find a change that feels as exciting as coming together in a large group does? That would be a game changer. 

As they say, back to the drawing board. 

A Blank Slate

Controlling Emotions with the Facts

Friday Recap

I have been (somewhat obsessively) listening to the press conferences of Governor Cuomo and President Trump. I track numbers using the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. Numbers keep me grounded. When numbers surge, the day over day percentage change helps me keep things in perspective. The percentage of new cases in New York City and Westchester County is dropping. Death percentages, as expected, are up; yet, not as high as anticipated. 

A Disappointing Announcement - NY is on PAUSE until May 15

Why is this disappointing? Because it crushed my hope that we may possibly be looking at a new normal in a couple of weeks. This is 29 more days. It feels very far away. I am saddened by this news. Who knows, the situation changes hourly and maybe this will too. 

A New Normal

COVID-19 brings with it a new reality. "Normal" going forward will be different. There will be a new normal. There are too many unanswered questions; questions only time can answer. Is this virus going to come back? Will we have a break until the Fall when flu season returns? Will the United States, and the world, be forced into lockdown again?

Opportunities for the Future

I am a very active person. I do not have a traditional job. I describe myself as an entrepreneur wearing many hats and making a difference. 

My last typical Saturday was March 14, 33 days ago. I confine myself to home. I count on one hand the number of times I ventured out. I have become terrified of going to a store. Fortunately, I don't have to. I use FreshDirect for delivery and have not had to go to a grocery store since 2011. 

I am doing a lot of research. I majored in Marketing and Management at Iona College before the dawn of the Internet. The Internet created a world of possibilities combined with information overload. How do you reach your market? Can you achieve organic growth? What is the message and how is it perceived? What do people want? What do people need? I am fine-tuning my focus and I am developing a message geared toward today's opportunities.

The Power of the Network Marketing Entrepreneur Opportunity

Stay tuned - the message is developing and details will be forth coming.