A crisis can come at any time in your life no matter who you are. it is a normal part of life that can be a blessing in disguise or a complete nightmare. It’s like a hurricane that leaves line of destruction of everything in its path except some plants, trees, and buildings that were able to withstand its impact. Life as we know it changes forever, and no matter how desperately we want it back, there is no going back.

Crisis come in waves and when one ends, another one will appear. It’s a cyclical affect. The key is to develop a good crisis management plan and strategy which can prepare you for the next crisis. How you come out of the crisis will be totally up to you. Try to embrace and look beyond it.

Crisis exposes who we really are whether good or bad. It is also a testament of our psychosocial and emotional stamina. Crisis pushes us outside of our protective controlled environment. This is where the opportunity lies. It can cause us to be more creative, innovative, forge new collaborations, and live out our lives in a different more fulfilled way if we allow it. Personally, it’s created a sense of urgency and ignited my desire to live my life with more passion.

During the 2012 year, I had the most profound learning experience. I was working in a hospital as a nurse executive, a job that is very demanding but very comfortable. This same year, my mother unexpectedly began to have a rapid decline in health. If there ever was a crisis, this was it. I was left with two choices: quit my job and move her in with me and my family or place her in a nursing facility. I quit my job and she moved in with us until she passed away. It was a very stressful time.

I knew there was no going back to life as I knew it. Even though I was nervous, I took all of my grief and feelings of loss and channeled it to starting a new business. I knew the journey wasn’t going to be easy, but it gave me something else to focus on. Even in the midst of my grief, I recognized opportunity. Focusing on building my business actually helped me get through my grief.

Pushing myself out of my comfort zone forced me to stand on my own and not hide behind a company. It has allowed me to grow in ways I never expected. I was able to define myself authentically and break free of limitations. Don’t get me wrong, being in a comfort zone has its perks like safety and familiarity. The way I see it is that you have two choices: stay where you are, do nothing, and become bored or try something new and fresh. If you are afraid to make a big change, make small incremental changes daily that don’t cause you stress. Listen to new music. Try a new food or lipstick. Small changes add up.

My takeaway: I made a big life change once, and I can do it again.

As the Founder and CEO of Infinity Long Term Care Consulting, LLC, Tammy Peebles provides management consulting for healthcare facilities. Her goals are to strategically plan their enterprise, improve overall performance, and effect change. Mrs. Peebles is a regulatory compliance strategist who also loves to motivate, educate, and inspire aspiring and current nurse leaders to achieve a higher level of success professionally and personally. Tammy offers a wide range of services from individual coaching, to certification programs, seminars, and keynote speeches. To contact Tammy please visit her website at www.infinityltcare.com.