12 minute read
Your World: What Does it Look Like Now?
MOST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW
My typical day has included homeschooling three kids and entertaining a wild preschooler, cooking, cleaning, and trying my best to hold on to a shred of sanity. I’m coming around to finding some sort of new normal, but I’m not exactly there yet.
My stubbornness told me to continue with business as usual. Here are some of the “business as usual” (aka BS) expectations I had of myself and my loved ones: • The house must be clean! • The children must listen to me the first time I ask them to do something! • I must figure out a way to make money, and fast! • I must not gain any weight! • I must contain my anger about having my work life interrupted! • I must ignore my fear that the business I just spent the last two years of time and resources building will not recover after the pandemic! • I must hide my grief in order for my children to be OK during this time.
At the beginning, under the weight of expectations, I screamed at my kids, constantly. I felt like I was coming out of my own skin with the noise level in my house. I had an unexplainable, very physical sensation of weight and muscle soreness in my rib cage that wouldn’t allow me to take anything but super-shallow breaths. My mind was cycling between “my business will never make it out of this pandemic” and “all is lost” to scrambling for ideas to help keep it afloat.
What happened next was so predictable, yet I didn’t see it coming — full-blown autoimmune flare up. Everything in my body physically hurt. I emotionally hurt for the better part of two weeks, with tears seeming to just leak out of the corners of my eyes even when I wasn’t actively crying. Deep grief and anger was literally pouring out of me.
MOST POSITIVE RIGHT NOW
I’m only writing this now as I’m on the upswing. My mind, body, and spirit were furiously waving red flags, and I didn’t take the time to investigate. Finally choosing to wave the white flag, here are the lessons I learned: • Lesson #1: For the love of God, don’t ignore the red flags.
They’re waving for a good reason. • Lesson #2: Lower my expectations of myself and others; they aren’t fair to anyone involved. • Lesson #3: In the hardest of times remember to lean into my support system and my self-care toolbox, not away from them. • Lesson #4: Make room for emotion even when it’s severely inconvenient; it’ll come out anyway. • Lesson #5: Work with just being with what is, not moving to force change.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
Read more about Jessica’s recommendations and the detail of her decisions on her business website at meridianiw.com/ red-flags-white-flags-and-non-negotiables/
SARAH DAVASHER-WISDOM
President & CEO, Greater Louisville Inc. Working at home with Duchess, a 16-year-old Himalayan cat. (She loves to sleep on the printer so that she can be petted while I am on calls and Zoom meetings.) Husband Rodney Wisdom, a chiropractor, is at home because of the government mandate to close. He is working on house projects.
MOST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW
I am concerned about the long-term impact on the economy. I know we will recover, but how long will it take and what will our region look like when we can start that recovery? My hope is that this will have brought us together in ways that can accelerate our rebound.
MOST POSITIVE RIGHT NOW
The truth is that I love working from home, and I am very productive doing it. You may be able to tell how comfortable I am as I sport my pajama bottoms in this photo while sitting at my desk in full jewelry and makeup, waiting for the next Zoom call.
THIS DAILY PRACTICE HELPS
I still get up at the same time, exercise, and get dressed. I would not feel like myself if I did not do these things. I will admit, however, that I haven’t worn mascara in a month. That might be one of the things I say goodbye to after this “Great Pause.”
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
I like to think of this time as mandated reflection on the busyness of life. We need to value this time to reflect on what is important and consider which things we might not want to hurry back to.
JAMIE WARFIELD
Director of Recruiting, Waffle House, Inc. Furloughed initially but started back to work securing catering orders and conducting meetings and interviews via Zoom. Working at home with children Carlos, 14, and Bella, 7.
MOST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW
Making difficult business decisions that affect other people’s lives has been difficult. We began temporarily closing locations and furloughing employees. All of the decisions were necessary and understood, but my days, alongside many others, were full of hope and tears. My position was then furloughed the same day and panic set in. The kids were running around crazy with no idea that they’re mom, the sole provider, had just lost our main source of income. The first day I could not get out of bed — anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty completely took over. Later that night, I looked at my personal journal of gratitude and found a quote by Oprah Winfrey that put everything into perspective. “When you meet obstacles with gratitude, your perception starts to shift, resistance loses its power, and grace finds a home within you.” At that point I started to look at this time as an opportunity to relax, restore, and recoup.
MOST POSITIVE RIGHT NOW
The kids and I began spending time just talking and enjoying each other, no electronics, just communication. I started to declutter and organize home and life. I reconnected with family and friends just by calling and letting them know they were in my thoughts during this time. I focused on my goals by creating a vision board, revamped my resume, and put actionable plans into place. What I initially thought was a nightmare became an opportunity.
These past few weeks I have had the opportunity to spend uninterrupted, quality time with my family. I think we all have appreciated the time to relax and recharge. When life begins to speed up again, we’ll remember to be grateful for our blessings and appreciative of our loved ones.
THIS DAILY PRACTICE HELPS
It seems insignificant, but every morning when I rise I verbalize three things I am grateful for, and I begin my typical morning routine (brushing my teeth, brewing coffee, and getting dressed). This process has allowed me to begin my days on a positive note, and I’m more motivated to be present and productive by continuing my morning routine.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
“What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.” — J. Sidlow Baxter.
CARRIE KING
Co-Founder and Realtor, Homepage Realty Currently working at home giving tours via Matterport, a 3D virtual walkthrough. Can show houses in person but with precautions. She’s home with Annabelle, Shih Tzu and Lucky, Wonder Dog. (on the cover)
MOST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW
Our agents are the heartbeat of our entire business. I miss sharing positives in our sales meeting, “family” lunches, collaborating with agents on cool and upcoming projects, working alongside fellow realtors on listings, strategizing video shoots, I could go on and on...I miss my people!
MOST POSITIVE RIGHT NOW
The most positive thing for me right now is seeing everyone's face on Zoom calls. Although our sales meetings, training, and clubs are all done remotely, it's been fun connecting even if it has to be over a computer screen. Realtors are “essential,” and we are fortunate enough to be able to continue to work and help buyers and sellers.
THIS DAILY PRACTICE HELPS
Get up, dress up, and show up! I wake up every morning and get ready as if I am going to the office — only I am going down the hall to my home office. Getting ready helps me to start my day off and make it as normal as possible.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
We feel very confident that our economy will recover, the real estate market will flourish, and we are very hopeful that our friends, families, and loved ones will remain healthy so we can get back to living and have a great rest of the year.
MOST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW
There are so many difficulties that people all across the world are facing: The vastness of the effects of this pandemic is staggering. I think the uncertainty is what is most taking its toll on me and the people I know. We are unsure of when we will be able to emerge from these essential hibernations, and what each of our individual lives will look like when that time comes.
Of course, we all hold a particular concern about our own personal corner of the world, it’s only natural. It’s what is most familiar to us, what we understand most intimately. I am a ballet dancer and normally our days are regimented, filled to the bursting with creating, exploring, and conquering. We are conditioned to push past any perceived boundaries, to rise above any limitations placed upon us. But this is something that cannot simply be pushed out of the way with willpower and creativity. And that realization has been hard for me to accept. This pandemic has universally stopped all of us in our tracks.
The only thing to do is to take each day one at a time, thankful for what I have, and to try to continue on in the best ways I know how. For me, that looks like doing what I can for the people I love, and attempting to maintain as much normalcy as possible with my career by dancing and teaching from my living room.
MOST POSITIVE RIGHT NOW
The most positive thing I have experienced throughout all of this is a renewed sense of connection, which may seem to be strange in this time of self-isolation.
Part of the fundamental essence of dance is connection. So it is interesting to me that at a time when I am incapable of participating in any of these outlets, I would be finding even more connection.
12 May 2020 / TodaysWomanNow.com In being given a little more time and space (and believe me, it is not lost on me just how much of a luxury that is right now) I’ve become fiercely protective of the connections I had sometimes taken for granted. Each conversation with my parents and
VERSIONS OF OURSELVES WHEN
WE KEEP OUR OWN PERSONAL
JOYS ALIVE.”
siblings is just a little bit sweeter. Video chats leave me completely awestruck by the strength and resilience of my friends sprinkled across the country. Watching my coworkers navigate around pets and plants, as we gather for virtual ballet classes in our respective homes, makes me laugh until my eyes water. And what all of this has taught me is that our connections to each other are too precious to ever be taken for granted.
THIS DAILY PRACTICE HELPS
Dance is so joyful! And we are all dealing with so many conflicting emotions right now that at times it feels insensitive to be finding my own personal moments of joy. But those thoughts are fleeting because I realize we all are our best versions of ourselves when we keep our own personal joys alive. For me, that’s been a little bit of dancing in my apartment, doing what I can with the limited space while trying not to bother my downstairs neighbors. It’s the daily routine I know best, the one that best clears my head and focuses me. It’s even brought me a new appreciation for my practice, making me realize dance is just as beautiful whether you are performing on a bright stage for a full audience or all alone just for yourself.
omen In
BUSINESS
By Barbara Myerson Katz Photos by Melissa Donald
Offering casual and sophisticated women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessories, as well as select men’s and youth apparel, home accessories, and gifts.
meet Melissa Huff Owner of Mamili
Melissa Huff has raised four children, three of whom are triplets, so she knows a thing or two about managing big projects. Blend that with a Spencerian College degree in fashion merchandising, experience in retail, and a knack for crafting beautiful items from hats to wreaths, and it was natural for the Louisville native to open her own boutique. Mamili, which means “to shop” in Tagalog, an homage to Melissa’s heritage, opened in March at 826 E. Main St., part of the NuLu Marketplace development. Housed in a fully renovated 1,800 square foot space, there’s plenty of room for Melissa’s hat business, Mad Hatter 502, which last spring sold Derby headwear out of a pop-up store in Prospect. Mamili features casual and sophisticated clothing with personalized customer service. Melissa describes her own taste in fashion as eclectic, from Hale Bob dresses to casual Sanctuary tops with Paige jeans and stylish sneakers. Mamili also places an emphasis on locally sourced and individually crafted merchandise. Hats and fascinators that range from sophisticated to wild and crazy can be custom made by Melissa and Sonni Carter. Mamili also features hand-crafted items by other local friends of Melissa who likewise have their own businesses: Jewelry by Julie Day of Jewels by Jules; jewelry by Brenda Sullivan; photo greeting cards by Laura Weis of Whispered Light; and glassware, ornaments, and decorative bourbon barrel staves by Gail Corso of Designs by Gail.
