Pharmacy | 4 Life Reminders
The good thing about life is it has funny ways of reminding you why you do things.
As we go through business we can get very wrapped up in the stresses and pressures that we face. There are always problems we must deal with.
Many pharmacy owners have huge rent pressures, declining earnings from their dispensary and front of shop, business values are dropping, staffing issues etc. It is not easy out there at all, there are a lot of problems.
We get consumed by those issues! They quickly consume our minds every waking moment. We take the stress home to our families, maybe get grumpy, don’t sleep, get grumpier, don’t exercise, get even more grumpy……and on it goes.
Now I know my experiences as a business owner are no different than your own. I too have lost many hours of sleep worrying about things, worrying about clients, business, finances blah blah blah. Things just go wrong sometimes. I too have had more than enough hard times and get totally consumed by my thoughts, problems and worries.
But be aware of what is going on around you. Life gives you many, many reminders of why you are doing what you are doing.
These are some of the things I have in my life that consistently realigns me to my purpose;
Family
Next time you go home, stop and watch everyone around the dinner table. Watch them all eating, talking, laughing and of course glued to their iPhone. There is a feeling of pride that comes over you that reminds you “that is why I work so hard. It’s for them.”
Holiday
To me one of the great life framing moment there is. When you finally get to relax and enjoy yourself, you become more, well more you. You become more aware of the crazy life we live and how we quickly lose track of what is important. How we lose track of keeping balance in our life and become too consumed with our own issues.
Ill-health of a family member
It is a very sobering moment when someone you love becomes ill. You have a very quick mind shift that makes you realise you have been looking at your world the wrong way. And whilst you may have problems, sometimes they’re small in comparison to the battles other people are facing. It gives you some perspective that helps you to frame what you are going through.
Using Your Senses
Stop and have a look at the beauty of the sunset, or a sunrise, the beach, the flowers in spring time. Listen to the birds singing in the morning. Feel the warmth of a warm summer evening, or the cool crisp fresh air of a spring morning. Smell the flowers, the air, the evening food smells of families cooking dinners for their own families. Your body is filled with senses that are amazing in themselves. The simple act of taking your dog for a walk at an evening can be filled with such wonderful experiences.
It is so easy to be consumed with our own problems and our own stresses. Sometimes we become so consumed we easily lose sight of what is most important. We lose our focus. We lose our purpose. Therefore we lose ourselves and who we are about.
My whole purpose in writing this blog is not to sell or anything businessy.
I simply hope that out there amongst our readership is a struggling business owner who is having a difficult time and needs a moment to re frame. I hope there is something here that puts a smile on someone’s face and makes there day a little better. The world of pharmacy is hard at the moment. I am sure you are all doing your best, and sometimes I know that seems as though it is not enough. You have all worked so hard in your businesses. To see them go backwards month after month, sometimes year after year is not a nice thing to go through.
Make sure you all look after yourselves. Have someone you can talk to and unload. Your own health and well-being is important. So, from one business owner to another you all have my thoughts and well wishes. If any of you need to talk, let’s have a cuppa and a chat.
In spirit of this blog we have put together a video of a recent trip I had with my daughter Ciara. I took some much-needed time away from the office to go hiking at the Stirling Ranges. For those who don’t know the Stirling Ranges, well it’s my favourite place in the entire world. Anyway, one day we hiked Mt Toolbrunup. Whilst battling the weather and tough conditions we also filmed the experience with commentary relating to business.
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdWOH0RTNyo
