7 Ways to Rebuild Your Life after COVID-19

DALLAS, April 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The coronavirus has taken many lives and affected almost everyone across the globe. Many people have been laid off and some fear that their jobs will not return. The U.S. economy has nearly ground to a halt and politicians do not agree on the next best steps. We are in unprecedented global whitewater, where even the experts are operating on sparse data, note authors and executive coaches Gail M. McDonald and Marilyn Bushey.

What we do know is that we are likely to come out of this crisis changed as individuals, families, organizations, and countries. No one knows what our new future will look like, yet we do know that it will be different. 

How can we make our new world a good place to be – possibly even carve better lives for ourselves in the future? Although the answers will vary, McDonald and Bushey offer seven ways to determine that future for ourselves using their unique CHOICES roadmap for deciding what to let go of, what to add, and what to keep in the new lives that await.

The CHOICES Map uses the metaphor of a journey, and it consists of seven conversations designed to help explore the question "Where do I go from here?" CHOICES is an acronym for Culture, Hurdles, Options, Inspiration, Choice of Action, Experimentation and Self-Fulfillment.

In an interview, McDonald and Bushey can share details about how to use the CHOICES Map in greater detail. Its successful navigation requires asking and answering specific questions. These include but are not limited to:

• Looking ahead, how might my lifestyle be different after the pandemic?
• What expectations for my future do I need to let go of?
• What options are available for me in the short term and what is my vision for the long term?
• Who are the people I want to be a significant part of my life going forward?
• How am I going to foster those relationships?
• Does my plan for the future give voice to something important to me?
• What experiments could I add to my life now or in the longer term?
• What practices do I follow in my daily life to foster self-fulfillment?

McDonald and Bushey offer this concluding advice for anyone wondering where they will go from "here." "Let go of your stories, add your dreams, keep exploring. These are the three most important messages of the CHOICES Map Model and creating a workable plan going forward."

About the Authors

Gail M. McDonald and Marilyn L. Bushey are executive coaches who have helped thousands of leaders make significant improvements in their ability to lead, build relationships, deliver results and enhance their self-fulfillment. Retirement Your Way: The No Stress Roadmap for Designing Your Next Chapter and Loving Your Future is their first book and was born out of conversations they have been having in advance of their own Next Chapters.

Contact: Marilyn Bushey, (972) 824-5954; [email protected]; www.retirementyourwaybook.com

SOURCE Gail McDonald