The first month into this pandemic I wrestled with the shock of having no choice but to shut down my newly opened flagship store and wellness center. Anxiety laden questions and panicky “what if’s”consumed my pre-dawn tossing and turning on a regular basis. Unknown variables – both surrounding the magnitude of the virus and what the post-pandemic world would look like – took over, leaving me feeling helpless and at the mercy of an unrestricted, ubiquitous malevolent force I could only imperturbably attempt to ward off with isolation, a flimsy mask, thin gloves and rigorous hand washing. It hardly felt like appropriate armor in this Battle of Fear born from a walloping, nasty, infectious microorganism causing so much devastation.
So, in the beginning of all this I hung back, sometimes being still for hours at a time, other times just going through the basic motions. When scrolling through instagram I began to feel annoyed by all the posts of bread baking and hyper productivity. I lost it when I came across several posts of groups of people doing choreographed dance routines while I was listening to the latest Washington Post death toll announcement in the background. I know, I know, everyone deals with a pandemic differently but this felt so tone deaf on many levels. My heart ached for individuals dying alone and for the families that couldn’t see their loved ones for the last time. I wrote a post about it, hoping to remind people that they didn’t have to over achieve in the midst of a global crisis. A few days later, The New York Times wrote an article called “Stop Trying to Be Productive” with the exact same sentiments. “This mind-set is reflective of Americas hustle culture – the idea that every nanosecond of our lives must be commodified and pointed toward profit or self improvement.” I had thought I was for sure in the minority with my post, but this article gave me a moment of solidarity in the “just be” narrative.
Over the next few weeks I took cues from nature. As the rebirth of Spring took place, I also felt the stir for change. I felt most content outside and began to engage in hard, manual labor on the property and then felt the rewards of feeling my body in use at the end of each day. Simple, productive, yard work can be enormously satisfying. I also experienced deep level fulfillment by having profound and meaningful conversations with my fourteen year old daughter. I realigned with my husband by discussing our shared goals and working side by side to manifest them. These activities have been the gift of this pandemic and have underwritten the reset for me from my former, working-morning-till-night-seven-days-a-week-schedule leading up to this.
With this renewed perspective that lured me out of my lassitude, I began to think of ways I could survive and pivot my company in a manner that was sensitive to my communities needs and truly helpful to my customers wellbeing. I knew I wouldn’t be dispensing Feng Shui Tips While Your Working from Home! (I was asked by a few journalists for this type of fodder) because I didn’t want to be telling people what they should be doing and those tips all felt so superficial right now. I knew I had to direct my business in a way that felt right to me. After weeks of reflection, I realized that my contributions could be of better service to others by creating offerings based out of healing, reflection and by providing tools in which to navigate these difficult times.
My team and I put together online offerings. Every week I hired yoga teacher Alexa Bull to provide yoga classes for free to anyone who wanted it. I offered remote reiki sessions by Christine Bailey, one of the most gifted, real-deal healers I have ever known. I wanted to give as much as I could – whether it was a gift of remote reiki to someone who could really use it, or packing up healing essential care packages for essential workers. While I doubt that these new business decisions will be creating an influx of cash in my bank account, I can only go on what feels right during these unprecedented times. And for me, now more than ever, I aspire to be a conduit for others to feel empowered, cared for, enlightened and one step closer to healing, however that might be.
I can’t wait to open my doors when it is safe to do so. The next step is thinking of what a safe yoga class will look like and how I’ll be able to offer massages for clients.
Only now while writing this, I realize that, like my business tag line of Mind, Body, Spirit, Space, my business owner-pandemic-journey followed in the same way. Initially, I went from an initial period of shock and reflection, sitting in stillness trying to wrap my brain around it all (mind). Next, I found motivation through lots of outdoor physical work (body) which inspired the next phase of action. I restructured my business to offer (spirit) healing and spiritual offerings online. In creating a space for people to delve into self care in the safety of their own home, it all came together. Not knowing the ramifications of COVID 19 in its entirety and how retail interactions will be, this all feels like a Phase One plan. I suspect Phase Two begins after we re-open next month, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, take a free yoga class – it’s a gift for your body. Sign up for an astrological class that makes sense of the extraordinary planetary cycles that are occurring right now and learn how to maneuver through them in the best way. Try out a remote reiki session to help release any blockages your body is holding onto. Expand your psychic development. Reset your priorities. Be good to yourself and remember to take care, examine and delve into your mind, body, spirit and space as a whole right now.
Everyone is essential, especially you.
