I hope this finds you well! Life in the Time of Corona sure has its challenges, doesn't it? We are all going through a collective trauma together and information changes rapidly by the minute. For many of us, its exhausting. Self care of vital importance right now. Our self-talk is equally important. too. One thing that's been bugging me is how certain terms have suddenly become part of our everyday language. Frankly, if I never hear the "SD" term again, it will be too soon. What better way to drive people apart emotionally during such a stressful time? The other terms are so reminiscent of military and prison worlds and bring such a negative connotation with them. Above are my suggestions to replace these other words with a more positive mindset. Can you think of some others? I've also been meditating on bat medicine, since supposedly a bat started all of this. In the Native American traditions, Bat represented finding its way through darkness and was most active at night. Bat can't see very well, and has to use its other senses to find food and navigate through the night. It also symbolizes life and death, endings and beginnings. It can be intense energy to work with and boy are we getting a crash course in that right now! I totally feel like a bat trying to find my way through so much conflicting information and learning new skills to finally get some online classes and courses up online. There is no map, I can't see my way through it, I have to trust my other senses, and believe the path will become clear. An old way of living has ended, ushering in a new normal, that will hopefully balance out soon. What that will look like, no one knows at this point. Sometimes it may help to look at things from a different perspective, maybe from upside down, like how a bat sleeps. Restorative Yoga can help with this!
Raw honesty: Sadly, the extended Stay Home order goes to May 4 now and the WA Department of Health has deemed massage therapy and yoga non-essential with this new extenstion. I have been told I may not work "until further notice," which is scary! That’s a month & a half (or more) of me not being able to help people in person & no income. I'm used to helping others, not asking for help for myself and I’m not sure my business can stay afloat that long. Even IF I can get government assistance, and that’s still a big IF at this point, that money won’t come in until late April or May. My business expenses have gone up with trying to build an online business for classes & courses while my income has dropped to nonexistent. I am envisioning being back to my office sooner rather than later, but financially, this is a lot to deal with as a self-employed small business owner.
The information from the SBA changes multiple times a day. WA state still has not gotten its unemployment system updated for self-employed people like me. I've applied twice and was denied. Twice. I've taken 1 day off since this all started. every day, I'm on my computer, trying to figure out how to apply for grants, loans, updating my bookkeeping, doing marketing, learning Zoom, keeping my selbsite updatied, doing a few classes on Zoom, getting my course content into a format to put my courses up for sale on my website, the list never ends. I'm exhausted!
Government aid could take weeks or months to come in at this point and I have not gotten any positive confirmation that I will even get any yet.
So, how can you help me? Any of these 11 Things will help me immensely if you are able:
1- Donate to my business GoFundMe. They will match me up to $1000 if I raise $500. I made it to the grant match, but need more to pay my business bills. 2- Buy gift certificates now for later use. My website is now updated with direct links to purchase. Links on the header of the website. These go straight into my business bank account through Square. 3- Join my online group offerings.
4- Book Energetic Alchemy Distance Healings, Intuitive Readings, Private Yoga sessions with me that we can do on Zoom Wednesday/Friday 5- Go on social media, like and follow my BlissedBodywork, LLC/BlissedAcademy business page , and like/comment on my posts - this helps them reach a wider audience and get more visibility. This is a HUGE help! My Facebook business page could use a little love! 6- Leave me a great review on social media and Massagebook (many of you have already done this - thank you!) 7- Share my social media posts with your friends and family and invite them to like and follow me. Also HUGE! BlissedBodywork, LLC/BlissedAcademy 8- Donate to my Personal Venmo. You may have to invite me as this is set to private. 9- Join/Register for my Monday night Restore, Core, & More class at Vancouver Yoga Center via Zoom, live at 7 pm, coming to you from my home studio, that I converted from my home massage room. (You may hear a kitty in the background during filming because he doesn't like not being allowed in but my husband will try to keep him entertained!) You MUST pre-register here though: Vancouver Yoga Center.
10- Visit my Blissed Academy Online to see new courses for purchase.
11- Come back as an in-person client once the threat is over.
My goals in all of this are to continue to be of service with my Blissed mission, stay positive, and be a beacon of light for all of you, and stay in business.
Just a reminder:
I truly believe that the more fear and negativity we put into it, the worse it will get. Remember what I teach in classes and in privates: The mind is a powerful thing. What we think and send out brings back to us what we focus on, so its always better to err on the side of positivity.
Asking for help is not giving into fear, it’s raw honesty. It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to preserve its small biz owners through a crisis such as this.
If we can stay rational, calm, and mindful, spreading more positivity, it has the power to curb the potential crashes in this crisis, and choose an intentional response instead of a fear-based reaction. Regular meditation helps with this.
I do feel that this is like a HUGE reset for us individually and as a culture. A way of life has ended and I don't think it can go back to exactly the way it was. We are finding new ways to connect with each other, many people are finding that they can indeed work from home (its hard to give a physical massage from a distance though), and our environment is breathing a sigh of relief with less pollution. I think this could also be a positive step for climate change too, if we make some changes permanently. As many of you know, I am a huge Louise Hay fan and she was a big inspiration to me before I even went to massage school back in the Dark Ages. (wink wink) Louise Hay says that viruses represent bitterness & a lack of joy flowing in our lives, and the lungs, which this virus attacks, represent the breath of life and grief. So I crafted a perfect affirmation for continued good health through this virus crisis is:
"I release all fear, grief, and bitterness. I lovingly allow joy to flow freely through my life. I love me. I find new ways to connect with others in meaningful ways, using my breath to calm myself, and I smile, knowing we are all connected. We move gently through this passage & emerge healthier & wiser."
Stay safe, stay well and wise, stay positive and proactive! Brightest Blissed Blessings, Bhrigha