WHAT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD WE LIVE IN!
Welcome to our new normal WILL CAMPBELL PRESIDENT, BALWIN PARK JOINT COMMITTEE
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ello, neighbors! I am writing to you from some point in April. I’m not really sure what day it is anymore or where we’ll be once you read this. Whatever day it is, I think we can all agree that we’re all experiencing a #NewNormal each day. Things that we took for granted — such as going into an office each day or sitting down for a happy hour with friends at one of the restaurants in the Village Center — are gone for now and have been replaced with decisions like, “Should I shower today?” Although this new normal isn’t something any of us asked for, it’s something that we have to adjust to, because it will undoubtedly have long-lasting effects. I thought, “What better way to help each other improvise, adapt and overcome than sharing ideas and our stories?”
WORKING FROM HOME
We’ve all wondered about those calls and meetings that could have been an email, and now we know the truth: They could have! Businesses that could transition to work-from-home have and possibly could continue the
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BALDWIN PARK LIVING | MAY 2020
trend into the future after this calms down. As someone who has worked from home for years, watching people who haven’t done it is akin to watching “Survivor.” One of the hardest parts of working from home is deciding when to start and finish the day. It’s easy to get sucked into early and/or late hours, but it’s not beneficial to you or your work in the long run. Set boundaries or start-and-end rituals for the day. Start your at-home “work day” when your coffee is ready and end it at an appropriate time with a walk around the neighborhood (socially distanced, of course).
to work out well before group classes and multi-national chain gyms existed. We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood full of parks to walk around or to play ball with our kids, furry or otherwise. Although carbs don’t count during stay-at-home orders (I totally made that up, but I believe it), now would be a good time to start your personal fitness journey, whatever that entails. Staying healthy involves more than just physical fitness, but also mental. These times are hard on all of us, so don’t be afraid to connect in whatever way is best for you with friends, family or a professional.
STAYING IN TOUCH
A wise friend and mentor once said to me, “Nothing changes if nothing changes,” and that has stuck with me through all of this. No matter how things are going now or how much things change, life hasn’t been canceled — it is merely paused. Whatever you do, be kind to ALL those around you, support local when you can and above all else, remember …
Although introverts such as my husband have been waiting for the day when staying home and limiting in-person contact with people was expected and socially acceptable, we extroverts who love group dinners, parties and general hugging have struggled. We have had to find new ways to connect with our friends and families, sans hugs. Zoom and FaceTime meetups (or happy hours) have become a great way to stay in touch with those that we care about. In some cases, people have used this time to reconnect with friends they haven’t seen in years.
STAYING HEALTHY
Gyms are closed, boot camps are canceled, and people just have no idea what to do. I’ll let you in on a secret: People found ways
We will travel again. We will dine and drink inside restaurants again. We will celebrate milestones again. We will be together again. Until then, be safe and stay well!
