 Meetings and events friends 2020 has been chock full of constraints, disappointments and limitations both in our personal and professional lives. And while we've been bombarded with these limitations and constraints, there's been so much good and so many silver linings to come out of it as well. Are you facing some constraints and need some encouragement? Then stick around. Hey friends, it's Leanne and one of the most overused words in 2020 has been the word pivot. And I actually don't mind the word pivot. For me it indicates change, but there has been so much change and so many limitations to our work in 2020 that we seem to be pivoting all over the place. But friends with each challenge that we've had to face, there has been so much good, so many silver linings to come out of that constraint. Today we're looking at examples of the constraints that we have faced as meetings and events professionals and of course looking at some of the silver linings and come out of it. We're going to finish off with sharing a few tips on how you can overcome the constraints facing your life and move on to a brighter future. But before we dive in, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and click on that little bell to be notified of new content. Each week I post content to encourage meetings and events partners and professionals in their work and 2020 has certainly given us a lot to talk about. So let's take a look at a few examples of constraints in our industry and of course some of the silver linings to come from it. For planners, one of the largest constraints has been the inability to host in-person meetings. But as I'm sure you've seen by now, the silver lining has been this incredible opportunity to reach more people, more members and more delegates through virtual events. In similar fashion, our meeting partners have had the inability to host in-person site visits and in-person familiarization trips for their planner clients. But hopefully by now you've seen the incredible opportunity afforded by creating virtual fams and the warehouse and library of information that you can store for those famed delegates, something that they can revisit again and again to keep information about your destination top of mind. Back in March, we were all looking forward to coming together to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day. Unfortunately, COVID canceled all of our plans, but it couldn't keep us from gathering as a worldwide movement to break a Guinness Book World Record for the largest virtual meeting. GMID goes virtual, attracted 12,000 meeting and event professionals and has been the springboard for advocacy for our industry around the world. Now that is the silver lining if I've ever seen it. For many of us, the constraint came in the form of being furloughed from our job, losing our job completely or having to pivot in our current job. And this has been very difficult. I find myself in this particular situation right now. But as a result, we've been able to learn more about our strengths and for some of us use those strengths to transfer into a different industry, a different job position within the same industry, or give us the confidence to launch an entrepreneurial venture. On a personal note, the inability to travel has been very difficult on many of us. But the exploration of our hometowns and our own backyards has been a blessing in disguise for many who've never even had the opportunity to explore their own hometown. For many of us, another very difficult constraint has been the inability to see family and friends. This one is difficult. This one is hard to minimize. But with the power of Zoom, we're able to connect more frequently with those family and friends and use those virtual platforms to share. There are a number of additional constraints that I've outlined in the blog post for this video. You can check that out over at liankholderwood.com. When faced with constraints, I really see four things needing to take place in order to move us from constraint to silver lining. Step number one, determine why the constraint is happening. And for a majority of the constraints, they are things outside of our control. So if you're feeling any shame or embarrassment about why this constraint is happening to you, you need to release it as this is something that was not imposed on you voluntarily. But rather the environment and the world circumstances have imposed this on both you and our industry. Second thing to do is accept this constraint and the need for change. This is really the most difficult step because change can be very, very difficult. And I've talked about change and doing things to shake up our routine and other blog posts. And you can find links to those videos up here. Taking the time to process this need for change is very important. And you need to go through this process in order to get to the next step. And the next step is to start to map out alternatives. This is where your creative juices can really kick in. And you can start creating a new future for yourself outside of the current constraint. Once you've mapped out all the alternatives, there's only one step left. And that is to start, start moving forward. Be it registering in a new course or certification, cleaning up your resume for a new job or starting on the path of an entrepreneurial venture. Starting with small steps towards your new reality will move you away from feeling constrained and forward into a new and exciting future. Continue to compound your success by taking small steps each and every day to move towards something new. So what constraints are you currently dealing with in your life? Would you like to share the constraint you're dealing with as well as the silver lining? I would love to hear from you. Please comment below this video and let us know how you're finding your silver lining. For meeting partners, if you have yet to deal with the constraint of not being able to connect with your meeting planner clients and prospects, check out this guide over here that has some great ideas on how to connect better with meeting planners during this unconventional time. Friends, constraints and limitations are never fun, but ironically, the constraints of having constraints and limitations has really forced us to stretch our creativity and reimagine the way that we live, we work, and we play. I invite you to take full advantage of all of the constraints in your lives, see the gift in them, and start to create a new future for yourself. You have a fan in me and I'm rooting you on. All the best to you this week. Bye for now.