As I write this, our practice has been shut down for three days thanks to the unusual appearance of freezing rain in Austin, Texas. A slow moving cold front has drizzled crippling droplets of sleet all over the city. The roads, super slick with a razor thin coating of ice, carry few cars and those that venture out often end up slip-sliding their way into someone else. So, most stay home including me.
The economic impact on Austin will be huge. Nowhere near the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, of course, but retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and other service businesses will all feel the financial drain of a few days of ice.
So, as time passes, I find myself wishing that the storm hadn't made its way into Texas; wondering how badly the practice will be hurt by losing three days of business; worrying how it effects those whom we help and those that provide that help.
The Big Chill has my mind frozen in a pattern of wishing, wonder, and worry.
But, it's thawing.
I spoke this morning with my partner, Ryan Smith. We chatted about the nasty weather, our plan for the week, and he asked me what I was doing. I said that I was trying to finish a View but was struggling. I couldn't focus. He said that there must be something I can write about the Big Chill in Austin. And with that, my mind started warming up.
It occurred to me that The Big Chill in my head is a lot like what happens when you have an injury or surgery or discover you have a disease. Your first reaction is often wishing for what used to be; to have things like they were before: no ice storm, a full clinic, people getting better, staff feeling fulfilled. Then you worry about what might happen. Will clients be ok? How much progress will they lose? Can we get the cash flow back in the black? How long will it take? The worry and wonder of a business crisis and an injury follow the same path. And, it's very easy to stay stuck in that cycle of wishing for things past and worrying about things in the future. The longer you stay in the cycle, the longer you stay in the cycle.
To break it, you have to accept the facts; accept reality (here's a great story about the importance of accepting the facts). Our clinic will lose three days of business and our clients will lose three days of care. I can't do anything about it. No amount of wishing or worrying or wondering will help. We won't go out of business and our clients will not lose all of the gains they have worked so hard to achieve. It just feels that way.
Next, you formulate a plan and act. You find a path framed by possibility. In our case, we can expand our hours, open over the weekend, extend our work week. We can increase our accessibility, give our clients a great experience, get them back on the right track for recovery, and be happy we have the opportunity. They key is action. Decide and then do something. Action is a great antidote to wishing, wonder, and worry.
So, while I'm thawing out in Austin, I hope you find some encouragement in the Big Chill. It's not easy to find the path of possibility but if you keep looking, it will appear. Get on it and stay on it. It's the only way.
Doug Kelsey
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