Don’t be afraid of the future Grasp it and run.

Over the past many months, almost everyone in the world has faced seemingly insurmountable issues. These times have been challenging for all. I am sure that most are so sick of hearing about the COVID-19 virus and pandemic. I recently made the call that we will not be discussing COVID in Howler articles anymore. 

It is an issue that is very important and cannot be ignored. However, being inundated from all sides is keeping us clogged and immobilized from moving forward. We must all do our part to stay healthy and respect those around us as well. 

That being said, many positive changes have come from this. Our view of life … how we have lived, and now survive, has been a focus. The material things of the world have been shoved aside as our internal survival instincts have clicked in. 

Can you go back to doing what you did before? The answer is yes. But why would you want to do that? 

Having the opportunity and time to reflect on the past in recent months has caused many people to make changes. Many have lost their jobs, their livelihoods and much more. The wake-up call is: are you going to do the same things and live the same way as in the past? 

The perfect time to reinvent is now. We are in the midst of many opportunities.

Many of us were too busy to slow down and be aware of our surroundings. The world is changing, and if you are not changing with it, you are just that same stick in the mud. The same-old same-old. 

It’s time to walk outside and smell the air, look at the bright colors of flowers and foliage, the birds singing and the animals running around. People everywhere have been forced recently from a life of hustle bustle to a much slower pace. Maybe some of you have had a chance to visit your children and other family members in a different way. Did you do this before? One of the silver linings of this period is the chance to reconnect with yourself, as well as others, on a different level.

The same is true about doing business. We have learned to use many new tools and interact via video conferencing, along with more emails and phone calls. While the person-to-person meeting is truly missed, we’ve seen new opportunities for productivity to increase. I have made many connections over social media such as LinkedIn, which in the past was a more difficult platform to reach people. It has become much easier lately to interact with decision-makers and movers in many tiers of the business world. 

Are you going to do the same things the same way when you emerge? We made the corporate decision early on that Howler would not be just the same old publication. I can truly say that if it wasn’t for the pandemic I might have been stuck in a rut that I call the Treadmill Effect. Wake up, coffee, work work work, dinner, bed and repeat. 

However difficult this time period has been, thankfully, the Howler has stayed around and progressed into many different media ventures. I want to thank everyone who has contributed: writers, advertisers and mostly our engaged readers. You are what has driven us to remain active and not just shut down altogether. 

Howler is not just your average platform magazine or bar rag stained with beer rings when used as a coaster. We have increased our presence on the internet and within our social media platforms to expand to many different markets. Recently we launched our new regional print edition in the Jacó area. Our regional expansion is exciting; however, you will soon see new Howler publications popping up in different countries too. New publications, new locations … ever seeking and growing. This is no time to shut down. The world is open to the people with vision. Remaining relevant has been Howler’s driving force.

We have embarked on a new higher level of media interaction that is very high-tech. We now have the ability to reach qualified consumers based on their defined profiles and interactions. The ability to reach and pinpoint opens up many levels of engagement. This is very exciting for us. It’s our response to the world opening up to different possibilities.

Have you taken the time to reinvent and emerge as a new butterfly … spreading your wings and engaging with the world? Now is the time, before we get inundated with the trappings of old. The new normal is not something to shun or hide from. Embrace it with gusto and fly. How did you reinvent yourself? We would love to hear your story.

The Howler sends out our condolences to those who have been adversely affected by COVID, and those who have even lost loved ones. God bless you.