“Ask for help! It’s hard to find the right kind of help when you are feeling down. Create self-care rituals and stick to them. Be kind and firm with yourself.”
When they announced the global pandemic, it felt like getting sucker-punched in the face. Just before the pandemic, it felt like I could finally breathe. My father had passed away a few months before the pandemic after dealing with the challenges of dementia. Grief struck but I’m glad I got to know him through the caregiving years. I felt like the paperwork process around the probate was going smoothly.
I could start to focus on the work I’ve done for the past twenty years working with women experiencing poverty and look at growing my fitness business to provide opportunities to raise money and possibly offer employment for the women I work with.
When the pandemic hit, I was unemployed as we were unable to offer in-person programming for Beauty Night Society. All of the studios I taught at had closed down so the fitness industry had ground down to a halt. I wasn’t able to apply for CERB or EI as I was 4 years behind in my personal income taxes.
The anxiety wrapped around me like layers of cellophane choking me. Some days I stared at the wall. Other days, I signed up for every course I could but didn’t complete any. Netflix and junk food eased my pain.
When the weather shifted and lockdown highlighted, my mood did too. We found funds through grant applications for Beauty Night Society. With patience, we have built up to 3 days a week of programming and soon grew to 4. I was able to start building my business by giving myself permission to screw up as I adjusted to teaching online.
I found help through FWE Money matters and Trauma of Money to heal my scarcity mindset and added morning rituals. I found myself getting knocked sideways when I was dealing with estate-related things during lockdown was rough.
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