I must express my appreciation for all the persons who constantly read, send messages or call giving feedback on this column.

I will be sharing more comments from people from around the world on COVID 19 Starting with my friend Caron from Canada and my John Maxwell Team brother Jan from JMT from South Africa “I decided to believe this is manageable. I have survived and thrived with life’s many challenges. I will again. I take time to find peace. No news before bed. I look after myself, read and learn. I am recalibrating to what business will look like in the future. My focus is on contribution, integrity, being respectful, kindness and sustainability” Caron Hawco, Businesswoman, Newfoundland and Labrador- Canada

“The changes I have made are mostly due to the need to maintain social distance to minimise the spread of the virus. Some one-on-one coaching has changed to the telephone. As large gatherings are no longer possible, I now deliver leadership training sessions using Webex or ZOOM video conferencing. This has gone quite well.” Ed Decosta, Executive Coach/Speaker-USA

“I thought the lockdown would last for a couple of weeks. It was fun staying at home with family and bonding. We watched movies, had long conversations, cooked and ate together. As a small business owner in a non-essential business, it is a  complete shut down for business. People are focused on purchasing essential items like food, water and toiletries. I do not know what will happen when we re-open. This has been a very trying experience, I am praying for  better days” Monalisa Okojie, Entrepreneur/Designer- USA

“The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm at the beginning of the year 2020. Initially, we in Nigeria were hearing the news of the pandemic as it spread from China to Europe. Today, we have recorded over 7,500 cases and about 220 deaths from COVID-19 among which is a top government official, Mr Abba Kyari; the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria. The pandemic has disrupted every aspect of our national lives. Economic activities were shut down, schools and colleges closed, no social or religious gathering allowed. Major cities across the nation were locked down since the beginning of April. Up till now, our churches, schools and airports are still not opened and movement across state boundaries is restricted. The pandemic has greatly affected our lives and changed our world forever.” Pastor Nath Ayo Aiyedogbon, Nigeria

I was already staying at home most of the time but as soon as our Prime Minister started curfew I felt trapped after three weeks of staying in. Adjustments were made and are still being made. We bought food and other household items in bulk so as not to expose ourselves standing in long lines. We even bought medications that we use to last at least two months. Then I settled down and persons keep sending information (really bombarding) of what they and others thought of this virus. We are more relaxed and accepting of our plight now and looking forward to a semblance of normalcy or as normal as we can be. During this time I watched more Netflix than ever. Here’s a little bit of funny: after the Prime Minister said Curfew is until 9 pm, I said to my daughter I want to go out on the road and return at about 7 to 8 pm because I forgot what coming home at night felt like!” Claudette Mc Kenzie, Retired — Antigua.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is characterised by a precariousness that is unmatched. However, as a sociology professor and someone who studies group interactions, I think the pandemic has presented us with a moment that forces us to acknowledge the educational inequalities that are baked into education institutions. This pandemic forces us to reflect, more than usual, about who we are as educators. When I ask my students to attend a lecture online, I think about students with families, and how will they balance the needs of their children, while participating in an online session. I think about the student who shares a laptop with other members of the family and the student who does not own a computer. I think of that student who does not have internet. I think of that student who learns better in a face-to-face setting. On a more personal level, while it seems that much has changed as a result of the pandemic, what remains a constant for me, is this penchant that I have to seize every moment. Yes, the days are imperfect, but I am unwilling to sacrifice an imperfect today for an uncertain tomorrow.”Nancy Fraser — Canada.

“Having several training companies with physical workshops, keynotes and coaching, you can imagine how we needed to adapt to current, and future traits and circumstances. Within days, all our trainings got cancelled or postponed with serious financial repercussions. We had talked about taking many programmes online prior to this crisis and, suddenly, we received that gift of necessity and opportunity. We did not sit still complaining about what happens around us and took charge of our future in daily increments. The results are starting to come in with global collaborations on training programmes, speaking opportunities, as well as exciting developments with a complete entrepreneurial journey platform and app, from idea to completion. We see this as a period to reflect and grow towards a better future for ourselves and all those we are blessed to impact.” Jan Roberts, Founder Ki Leadership Institute

Let’s look for the purpose in every problem and we continue this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.