Here are four things I learned about changing careers during a pandemic..

March 13, 2021, marks one year since the beginning of the pandemic in New York City. I believe that we can all agree that 2020 will be the year that we will NEVER forget. It was a year of a lot of loss, panic, sadness, fear, and discomfort. 2020 is the year many of us woke up and realized how we have been living could no longer be sustainable for our future. We witnessed all of the cracks in the foundation of every single industry.

Some say it was a blessing in disguise And an awakening to choosing a better path and learning about our strengths and weakness in a time of despair. Individually we experienced the pandemic differently, but collectively we saw more truth shine bright and loud. 

I noticed that the hope and willingness to push toward their passions have increased among my friends and business acquaintances. One statement that I have heard more frequently in the past week was," At this point, I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. If I don't do this now, then when?" Our lives can change overnight and understand how precious our life is. 

Of course, there will always be that voice of fear trying to stop you, lie to you, sabotage you, and so much more. Changing careers and chasing your dream during a volatile time in our world can be risky, but if we listen to that voice of fear, we run the risk of never knowing the possibilities by just trying to push for our dream or goal. It is also a disservice to your talents and gifts that help make yourself and the world a better place. You also want to make sure you do your homework. You don't want to do things blindly. You want to make a plan of action for our next steps.

Here are four things I have learned while changing my career after the pandemic:

1. Save, Save, Save, and be frugal - I am sure that you know how important saving your money is. The rule of thumb is to have at least three months of your salary for an emergency fund and then six months to a year of your salary saved. Even just a little bit of savings will help you to feel a bit more secure during a difficult time. Cut down all the expenses that are not necessary and get down to the bare essentials.

2. Make an inventory of your skills: This is so important because many of us may feel that we can only do one thing, but in reality, every individual has so many gifts and talents they can offer. Think about all of the things you enjoy doing. Is there something you could teach someone else how to do? Let's say you enjoy reading, gardening, or cooking. Is there maybe a new skill that you want to learn?

3. Build more than just one stream revenue: We are in a time when we need to have many streams of revenue. CNBC.Com shared that most self-made millionaires generated their income from multiple sources.

• Sixty-five percent had three streams of income.

• Forty-five percent had four streams of income.

• Twenty-nine percent had five or more streams of income.

Here comes the fun part! Look at all of your skills you have and determine which of these skills you could show someone else how to do, teach a course, hold a workshop, produce a product, consult, and the list goes on. If you are good at social media management, set yourself up with a profile on Upwork.com. The goal is to see which skill can become a stream of revenue. One of my favorite streams of income is Airbnb.  

4. Be persistent and consistent: Changing careers can be daunting because we are heading into unknown territory. When my fear starts to creep up, I always ask myself, "Would I resent myself if I didn't try this out?" I always believe in trying because every time we fo our self-respect increases, the skill that we are practicing gets better. We also increase the probability of the preferred outcome to occur.